Three men have been rescued after being stranded on their yacht off Bermuda’s eastern coast for almost 36 hours.

A duty officer with the Department of Marine and Ports Services said the trio were transported on to a bulk carrier, Genco Bourgogne, and are now on their way to Baltimore, Maryland.

Their yacht, Zion, has been left to drift.

Bermuda Maritime Operations received a distress call from the French sailing vessel from 48 miles east-northeast of the island in the early hours yesterday.

Bermudian officials briefed the US Coast Guard’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Norfolk, Virginia, and warned them of a possible need for a search aircraft because of the frigid weather, rough seas and powerful gusts.

The Genco Bourgogne, registered with the Marshall Islands, was 160 miles southeast of Bermuda and was alerted as the nearest vessel.

She diverted her course towards the Zion, but took about 24 hours to arrive as the ship travelled at only about six knots (7mph).

A US Coast Guard HC-144 CASA aircraft arrived at the scene from Air Station Cape Cod at about 1.15pm yesterday and found the three sailors in good condition.

A rescue crew attempted to parachute two VHF radios on to the yacht but it was unsuccessful and eventually had to leave at 3.05pm to refuel in Bermuda.

The Genco Bourgogne finally arrived on the scene at about 2.30pm today and rescued the sailors.

The yacht was described as a white sloop that was believed to have a life raft and a dinghy.

The MV Oleander, Bermuda’s main container ship, was escorted into Hamilton Harbour by a tugboat at about 11am today.

The escort, according to the Neptune Group, which owns the ship, was standard procedure during inclement weather.