A yacht captain had to be tied up by fellow crew members after going berserk aboard a Bermuda-bound sloop and repeatedly jumping off the ship.

The 43-year-old Canadian was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial hospital after being escorted into Ordnance Island, St. George's, by Marine Police yesterday morning.

Harbour Radio spokesman Scott Simmons said a local boater on board the Doghouse spotted a distress flare fired from the 40-foot sloop Rembrandt at 8.15 a.m.

The ship was out of fuel and anchored about a few hundred metres off St. George's when the two other crew members, both Canadian, raised the alarm.

Attempts to radio the ship failed, but the Doghouse captain reached the ship where the two other crew said the captain had began acting strangely two days before and had to be tied up.

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said the captain had jumped off the ship several times forcing other crew to save him, but it was not clear how they got him back on board.

Mr. Simmons said the boat was more than 200 miles south of Bermuda at the time. He said one of the crew, a female nurse, had said the captain had refused food and water for two days.

He added: "It's not clear exactly what caused him to do what he did from a medical standpoint. A psychiatric evaluation maybe needed."

Mr. Caines said: "It appears the captain displayed some very unusual behaviour and the crew considered him mentally disturbed. The boat was out of control because he kept trying to steer them back into trouble so that's when they decided to tie him up."

Another source said the captain had claimed divers were trying to put mines on the hull.

The Royal Gazette understands the problems started when the captain refused to take medication.

The yacht had left St. Martin in the French Caribbean on April 22 and had been due to stop off in Bermuda on the way to Lake Champlain, New York.

A hospital spokeswoman said last night the seaman was still in emergency and it is expected he will be detained in the intensive care unit, however she could provide no further details of his condition.