A ROUTINE call-out in the Solent turned into a tricky rescue when lifeboat crews in Hampshire were sent to aid a capsized catamaran.

A lifeboat from Solent Rescue suffered a small electrical fire on board and then a crew from Hamble suffered a puncture to their large RIB craft. A third crew from Gosport then had to be called to assist them with the rescue of a pair of yachtsmen who were found sitting on the upturned hull of a 28ft racing vessel.

Too big for the Hamble lifeboat to upturn, the Solent crew started to return the catamaran Stelrad to its correct position only to abandon its attempt because of an electrical fire on board.

Just moments later, the Hamble lifeboat, a large RIB vessel which had the two rescued sailors on board, suffered a puncture in the front of the boat.

A spokesman from Solent Coastguard said that although damage was minimal in both events, the rescue operation was just hit with a string of bad luck.

"Anything that could have gone wrong did," he said.

"The catamaran capsized due to a freak gust of wind. The electrical fire started due to the pressure of trying to upturn such a large vessel and the puncture was just a random accident, the boat must have snagged something," he added.

Lifeboat crews spent just over three-and-a-half hours dealing with the incident near the coast of West Brambles after being launched at about 1.20pm on Saturday.

Despite the drama, no one was injured and the spokesman added that the catamaran was upturned by two of the lifeboats and safely towed back to Hamble marina with its crew.