A VESSEL issued a distress broadcast reporting engine failure close to the marina in Portland Harbour yesterday evening.

Coastguards were contacted at 6.25pm but the person on board the vessel reported immediately afterwards that he had been able to restart the engine and was back in Weymouth Harbour a few minutes later.

Early yesterday morning the Coastguard was also contacted after a fishing vessel found an empty drifting tender near Swanage and returned it to be shore, where it was met by Swanage Coastguards.

After ensuring that nobody was in danger and trying to locate the owner, Portland Coastguard logged the item as lost.

Later in the morning on a busy day for Portland Coastguard, a 19-foot vessel reported suffering engine failure east of St Albans Head.

A nearby vessel helped tow the stricken boat to a mooring in Swanage.

At around 7.50pm yesterday Dorset Police was called to reports of a number of males jumping from a sign close to the entrance to Poole Harbour.

The members of public who made the report was contacted and it was established the males had moved away from the area and were not in any apparent danger.

At around 9.40pm an 18-foot vessel with two adults and a child on board reported electrical failure one mile west of the West Bay Harbour entrance.

A nearby fishing vessel responded to Portland Coastguard’s request for assistance and towed the boat back to West Bay.

Portland Coastguard has also reported that shortly before 9am this morning it was contacted by  a yacht off St Albans Head reporting that a female on board was feeling unwell.

She was airlifted by the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter and taken to Dorset County Hospital.