Five people were rescued on Friday, after their sailboat sunk off the coast of Larnaca, the joint rescue coordination centre (JRCC) said.

According to an announcement from the centre, officers were notified at 4.30 pm by a tanker boat in the area.

The five individuals had abandoned their ship, which sank 35 nautical miles off the coast of Larnaca.

The JRCC dispatched a helicopter to rescue the five people. All five were successfully saved and transported to Larnaca airport, where they were handed over to an ambulance.

The JRCC confirmed that all five individuals are in good health.