Three men spent more than ten hours in a life-raft last night after their US registered yacht, Esperance, ran into trouble and sank 100 miles off Bermuda.

Harbour Radio picked up emergency signals at around 11.30 a.m. yesterday from the three men who were 100 miles northwest of the Island and after broadcasting requests for assistance to shipping traffic in the area, requested the help of a US Coast Guard C-130 search and rescue plane.

The plane made contact with the life raft five hours later. The men, two 50-year-olds and a 36-year-old, were reported to be in good health. Their nationalities could not be confirmed.

A Maltese freighter, Yucel, on its way to Iceland from New Orleans, was 50 miles away from the sinking and diverted to the life-raft, arriving at around 10.30 p.m. The three were picked up and the freighter headed for Bermuda.

It was expected to reach the Island early this morning.

Esperance had left St. Mary's, Maryland for Bermuda on April 25. Harbour Radio could not provide details on what caused the 35-foot yacht to sink.

Meanwhile, the crew and passengers of the 49-foot yacht Compinche, which started taking on water after hitting a whale on Friday, are expected to be in Bermuda later this afternoon.

The sailboat hit the whale 320 miles west-southwest of Bermuda around 5.40 p.m. on Friday and called the US Coast Guard in Norfolk, Virginia, Harbour Radio said.

The five people aboard the boat - two adults and three children aged six, ten and 12 - elected not to evacuate over the weekend and were reported to be making good progress under sail. They are in hourly communication with the Coast Guard.

While the Compinche cannot use its engine, it is enjoying 15-18 knot favourable winds, Harbour Radio said.

Neither the extent of the damage nor the nationality of the crew was known last night.