Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Endurance has been stood down from a rescue in the sea off Antarctica.

Two Britons were forced to take to a liferaft after their helicopter went down in the sea between Chile and north-west Antarctica.

It is reported that one of the men alerted his family by satellite phone early this morning, and she raised the alarm

Endurance, which was more than 100 miles away, was alerted and one of her Lynx helicopters was launched, as it was though to be the closest aircraft with winching capability.

But while en route to the liferaft, an Otter aircraft spotted the men, who were believed to be in no immediate danger, and Endurance was told that a Chilean naval vessel would be able to pick them up.

The Lynx helicopter returned to Endurance and the ship is now continuing with her programme of survey work.