Two Bermudians were rescued in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday afternoon when their boat sank after developing engine trouble.

George Lambert, 52, and Tristan Codrington, 21, spent up to two hours in the water before being picked up by a US Air Force helicopter.

The pair were 30 miles north-east of Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon when they radioed the US Coastguard to say their 34-foot yacht had developed engine trouble.

By 3.20 p.m. the men said their engine room was two thirds filled with water, and 20 minutes later they lost contact when the boat sank.

Coast Guard Stations in Cape Canaveral and Ponce De Leon Inlet dispatched three helicopters and two planes to search for the men as they were keen to spot them before it got dark.

The rescuers had a stroke of luck when the crew of the boat , which heard the emergency broadcast to mariners, spotted the two Bermudians in the water and directed the helicopters to them.

Ten minutes later around 5.30 p.m., Mr. Lambert and Mr. Codrington, from Sandys, who were both wearing life jackets, were airlifted safely out of the water and taken to Holmes Regional Hospital in Cape Canaveral where they were released shortly afterwards.

Last night a relative of Mr. Codrington, who asked not to be named, said: ?Definitely, we are relieved he is okay.

?The only information we have had has come off the news. No one has spoken to Tristan, but he has left a message to say that he is well and that he will contact us.?

Fisherman Delvin Bean, who said he is a cousin of Mr. Lambert, said yesterday: ?It?s nice to know he?s all right.?

Dana Warr, a spokesman for the 7th District Coast Guard, told last night: ?This was a very successful rescue.

?We launched a lot of assets because we wanted to locate them as soon as possible because it would be becoming dark soon, and the chances of finding someone then decreases dramatically.

?The . crew picked up our broadcast and with the Good Samaritan, the Air Force and the Coast Guard working together it was a very successful rescue.?

Mr. Warr said ?s emergency radio beacon was not transmitting so he did not know if it was working.