THREE men were plucked from the sea as their vessel sank near Southend pier today.Thames Coastguard received a call at midday today reporting that the 30ft motor cruiser had broken down and was drifting.

THREE men were plucked from the sea as their vessel sank near Southend pier today.

Thames Coastguard received a call at midday today reporting that the 30ft motor cruiser had broken down and was drifting.

Southend RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch and began making its way towards the vessel, which was situated 11 miles east of the pier. However the crew of the vessel told the coastguard that they were beginning to sink, so the Sheerness RNLI lifeboat was called along with a rescue helicopter.

When the Southend lifeboat arrived on scene, the three men, who are in their 40s and 50s from the Essex area, were in the water clinging to the remnants of their vessel. They were rescued from the sea by the lifeboat crew as their vessel finally sank.

Two of them were wearing lifejackets and one of them was wearing a blue life preserver.

They were cold and mildly hypothermic, so were airlifted to Southend Hospital.