A NORTH Yorkshire woman is among sailors who have been rescued from a sinking racing yacht after it struck rocks in Indonesian waters, the UK coastguard said today.

There were 16 people on board the Cork Clipper when it was holed near the island Gosong Mampango in the Java Sea, 200 miles north east of Jakarta, yesterday.

The stranded sailors abandoned the stricken boat in life rafts and headed for nearby rocks.

They then waited to be picked up by two of their fellow racing yachts - the California Clipper and Team Finland.

All of those on board the Cork Clipper are reported to be safe and well.

Sarah Bell, 44, from Ripon, was among the crew.