A TUG vessel at the centre of a rescue drama is now in Weymouth Bay awaiting repairs to a gash in its hull.

The Christos XXII was damaged after the vessel it was towing collided into its side off the Devon coast on Sunday night. Eight crewmembers were plucked to safety when the tug started taking on water.

The towed vessel, ex German Naval training ship Emsstrom, sunk yesterday off Torquay.

The tug, containing 200 tonnes of diesel, was towed to Portland Port overnight but has yet to enter the port.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said it was alongside another tug boat in Weymouth Bay and was due to be assessed by divers and repaired before being brought in.

The tug poses no pollution risk, the spokesman said.