Six Americans, including a four-year old girl, were rescued off the west coast of the Island from a sailboat as winds reached almost 60mph.

Rachael Slattery, Samuel Stanton, Jeffrey White and Mark and Shannon Olden and their daughter, Mackenzie Olden, were in their 47ft sailboat when it lost engine power and steering capabilities as it sailed through the 600-mile channel between North Carolina and Bermuda.

The family was rescued by Coast Guard officials from Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Lt. Jason Gale, spokesman for the Coast Guard said: "In the minds of the people who were pulled off (the sailboat), it was a deteriorating situation and would have gotten worse if we hadn't shown up".

Lt. Gale dispatched two aircraft to rescue the group which was sailing from Annapolis, Maryland, to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

They are recovering on Island after their rescue on Sunday but last night declined to comment.

According to reports, the sailboat's rudder broke and it lost propulsion while a low-pressure system moved across its path. Winds reached higher than 57mph, strong enough that they could only use a small sail to stabilise the boat.

Passengers contacted the Coast Guard via satellite about 11.30 a.m. when the situation became too much to handle.

According to reports, the Coast Guard dispatched a small, four-engine airplane, and a Jayhawk helicopter from Elizabeth City out toward Bermuda.

Rescuers found the sailboat about 430 miles from the US coastline, and about 175 miles west of Bermuda.

Because the boat's mast was swinging back and forth as the boat rocked in the wind, the helicopter couldn't lift the passengers directly off the boat.

A rescue swimmer was lowered from the helicopter, and one by one, he helped the six people into the water and away from the sailboat, where they were put in a basket and hoisted up.

The group was flown directly to the Island where they remained at press time last night.

The sailboat is still drifting in the water near Bermuda. The boat's emergency transmitter was disabled by the Coast Guard so that it wouldn't emit distress signals and alarm other boats.

A notice was sent out to mariners telling them the boat is still adrift.