life raft

Military officials said rescuers "battled" currents and winds that pushed life rafts and sea boats towards the reefs, and swells made rescue efforts "challenging".

Only five people managed to get into an inflatable life raft.

All but seven of the 22 passengers of the Bayesian had scrambled into a life raft as the yacht began to capsize.

Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, is among the 15 people rescued, when they scrambled into a life raft and set off a flare, that drew the attention of another boat captain.

That life raft was carrying 15 survivors, three of whom were "heavily injured", he said.