Six people are being treated in hospital after 80 dinghies were hit by bad weather on Strangford Lough in Co Down.

A championship regatta was underway near Killyleagh when the weather suddenly turned.

At one point, up to 100 people were in the water.

A search and rescue operation was launched involving the Irish and UK coastguards, RNLI lifeboats and the RAF.

All participants in the regatta have now been accounted for. 13 rescue boats and two helicopters were at the scene looking for other people in the water.

Ulster Hospital had declared it a major incident, but this has since been stood down.

A UK Maritime and Coastguard agency spokesman said "It's believed that all those in the water have been accounted for. However rescue units on scene, including the helicopters and lifeboats, are carrying out further searches to make sure."

Strangford Lough | Image: Google Earth

Bernard Roddy, from the RNLI, said weather conditions were good this morning - but that heavy rain and strong winds suddenly hit the area and caused vessels to capsize.

One sailor was treated for head injuries, said a spokeswoman for the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

She said paramedics had set up tents on the side of the sea loch to assess the injured.

The dinghies were taking part in the Boating World Championships GP 14 event off Killyleagh. The loch is affected by powerful tides from the Irish Sea and is popular with watersports enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Reporter Jordan Moates is at the scene:

Originally posted 15:00