Chris Evans on board tragedy yacht

Chris Evans and a party of friends were left drifting in the Channel after the skipper of his yacht was swept to his death in a freak accident. Rescuers said a terrified Evans and his friends - none of whom could sail the 31ft Nausicaa, turn on its lights, or even work its radio properly - shrieked into the darkness after their captain James Ward was hit on the head by the boat's boom and went overboard. They had been sailing in the Solent during the Cowes Week regatta.

Lifeguard Justin Bloomfield, 30, who was first on the scene, said: "It was dark and we heard a Mayday. It was the frantic voice of a man who sounded like he didn't know how to use the radio properly. We could see the Nausicaa in the distance and we could hear the crew on board shouting but we couldn't make out what they were saying. They sounded absolutely terrified and were clearly panicking - really shaken up."

By the time coastguards arrived, it was pitch black. They said Evans and his friends were "extremely lucky" to have survived and noted that the skipper had not been wearing a lifejacket when his body was recovered.

Mr Ward, 50 - the landlord of Evans's local pub and his close friend - was knocked overboard at about 9.15pm last night after a gust of wind made the boom swing and hit him. The party was left drifting one-and-a-half miles off the Isle of Wight, in the path of other yachts and ferries.

They finally managed to raise help on their mobile phones. The Solent Coastguard sent out a rescue vessel, plus helicopter and police launch. Mr Ward was dragged from the water by Mr Bloomfield, who answered the Mayday in a private boat, but despite attempts to revive him by a doctor, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police took control of the yacht and guided it to land at the Hamble river near Southampton.

Evans was said by friends to be in shock and "inconsolable" over his friend's death today. One said: "It was a freak accident and a real ordeal for everyone on board. Chris has yet to come to terms with what happened." His wife, singer Billie Piper, was not on board.

Coastguard watch manager Dave Williams said: "It was extremely lucky that this particular yacht was still within mobile cell range so the alarm could be raised."

Coastguard spokesman Mark Clark added: "Unfortunately the only man who knew how to sail and operate the vessel properly was the one who was knocked overboard. We do not know if any sort of safety briefing took place before they set sail. It is probably fair to say the rescue attempt was hampered by their inability to operate the yacht and it's radio."

It is believed the crew may have spent the

day socialising at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. This morning the Nausicaa was moored on the Hamble.

Mr Ward had been landlord of the White Horse in Hascombe, near Godalming, Surrey, which he had run with his business partner and former girlfriend, Susan Barnett, for 16 years. Evans was a regular at the pub, which featured in his high-profile fall from grace before he was fired from Virgin Radio last year after a series of booze binges.

Mrs Barnett's father, Des Smith, said locals were devastated by the news of the tragedy during the trip to celebrate his daughter's 54th birthday. He said: "James, Chris and their friends set off from the pub yesterday morning. My daughter and another young lady had gone as well.

"They were going for a day out to the Isle of Wight, having lunch, and then sailing back in the evening on James's boat. It was a trip they made regularly because James was a keen and experienced sailor. As I understand, the boom of the yacht swung across and hit James and knocked him into the water.

"A chap dived in to try and save him. We don't know whether he died from being hit or from drowning. But the yacht was still going forward and by the time they turned it round they couldn't find him. The chap who dived in was in a bad way himself and was struggling in the water. There were lots of other yachts around and other people trying to help.

"My daughter is terribly upset - she and James had known each other for twenty years. He was very popular and known by everyone in the village. It is a tragic accident and none of us can believe what was supposed to be a fun day out has ended like this."

White Horse regular Bob Keen said: "James was a first class man, a perfect gentleman. Sailing was his one true love and he was very good at it. We are all deeply shocked to hear this news."

Evans was not at his Surrey home today.