Peterhead lifeboat was called out to assist a yacht with a broken mast about 60 miles off the north-east coast yesterday evening.
The 37-foot vessel – named the Inchpincher – first ran into trouble around noon and was being towed back to port last night.
The yacht had been using its back-up engine, but needed assistance to make it to land after a change in weather around 5.30pm.
It wasn’t expected back into harbour, under tow from the lifeboat, until the early hours.
Problems with the sailor’s radio signal range meant rescuers had to make contact with the vessel through an oil platform close to where it was sailing.
An Aberdeen Coastguard spokesman last night said: “We were sent out to get a yacht which lost its mast earlier this morning. The weather has taken a turn for the worse out there, it has deteriorated quite badly. The yacht is disabled.
“We have speaking to him since 12pm. He was in contact with an oil platform because the range of his signal was significantly low.
“Nobody was hurt. He has obviously been out for a fairly long distance sail.”
The yacht – believed to be from Northern Ireland originally – left Norway yesterday morning.
It was expected to arrive at Peterhead Harbour around 2am.