Spirit of Guernsey lands three French anglers rescued from their upturned Rib. The men were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia. (Picture by Tony Rive, 0773831)

THREE Frenchmen were recovering from hypothermia in Guernsey yesterday after being pulled to safety from their overturned Rib south of the island.

But another is still missing.

St Peter Port lifeboat Spirit of Guernsey was at the scene at about 9.20am after a French search aircraft spotted the seven-metre Frimousse 10 miles north of Les Roches Douvres with three people clinging to it.

French media reported that the three rescued were a father, 48, with his 18- and 11-year-old sons.

They had reportedly been fishing with the missing 57-year-old, who fell into the water at around 4pm on Saturday, according to early information.

The search was launched at midnight on Saturday after the boat failed to return to Paimpol, on the north Brittany coast. It had left in the morning bound for Les Roches Douvres lighthouse.

Channel Islands Air Search helped survey the area during the night along with a French military helicopter and the Paimpol lifeboat, but nothing was found.