Three people and a dog rescued from stormy seas are en route to Bermuda after a tanker spotted them on a liferaft.

The English couple, a Belgian and a Jack Russel terrier were plucked from the seas after their yacht sank in stormy weather while on its way from the Turks & Caicos to the Azores.

They were picked by the Isle of Man-registered Tilda Kosan in the early hours of Friday morning after abandoning the sinking yacht Blue Pearl on Thursday evening.

The Tilda Kosan, alerted by the US Coast Guard, diverted to search for the shipwrecked crew in 25-foot waves and high winds 1,000 miles east of Bermuda.

The Tilda Kosan, a liquid petroleum gas tanker, was en route from the UK to Mexico when it changed course to take part in the rescue bid.

It will drop the three people and the dog off in Bermuda before resuming its journey.