Dinghy capsizes off Orkney Island coast, leaving one dead and another hospitalised

Coastguard helicopters were dispatched

One man was taken by helicopter to hospital (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

One man has been left dead after a dinghy capsized off the Orkney Islands.

A second man is in hospital after the incident near the Isle of Sanday.

The men were able to make it ashore at Otterswick, in the north of the islands, and contact the emergency services after their vessel overturned.

One man was taken to the Balfour hospital on Kirkwall, on Orkney, but was pronounced dead.

The survivor, whose condition is not believed to be life threatening, was taken by coastguard helicopter to Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick on the Shetland Islands.

A spokesman from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "A 999 call was received by the UK Coastguard at 7.30 pm on Sunday September 4 reporting that a dinghy had capsized and that two dinghy sailors had made it to shore at Otters Wick, Sanday, Orkney Islands.

"Sanday Coastguard Rescue Team were sent to the scene and located and assessed the two dinghy sailors.

"The Coastguard helicopter based at Sumburgh was scrambled and airlifted the two men to hospital."