THE Maritime Coastguard Agency has brought charges after a two-year investigation in to the loss of the Cheeki Rafiki.

Two Somerset sailors, Paul Goslin, from West Camel, and Steve Warren, from Bridgwater, both died in the disaster, which took place in the mid-Atlantic ocean in 2014.

Mr Goslin, Mr Warren, Andrew Bridge, James Male and Steve Warren were onboard the 40ft Cheeki Rafiki yacht, en-route to the UK after attending a regatta in Antigua, when it is believed their yacht capsized 620 miles east of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, after running into difficulties.

US Coastguards initially called off the search in the early hours of Sunday morning after scanning an area of 4,000 miles without finding the crew.

A petition urging the coastguards to restart the search was launched by the family of one of the sailors, attracting more than 190,000 signatures.

Following the mounting pressure, coastguards confirmed they were working with British and Canadian authorities and would relaunch the search using aeroplanes. On May 23, a navy helicopter found the upturned hull.

The MCA said in a statement today: "The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has carried out an investigation lasting more than two years into the circumstances surrounding the loss of the Cheeki Rafiki in May 2014.

"Following that extensive investigation a decision has been made by the Crown Prosecution Service to bring charges against Douglas Innes and Stormforce Coaching Limited.

"Ian Harris, from the Crown Prosecution Service Wessex, said: ‘We have authorised the charging of Douglas Innes with four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and Douglas Innes and Stormforce Coaching Limited with one charge contrary to section 100 Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

"These charges relate to the deaths of Andrew Bridge, James Male, Stephen Warren and Paul Goslin in the North Atlantic in May 2014, following the loss of the keel on their yacht, the Cheeki Rafiki.

"The decision to charge was taken in accordance with the Code of Crown Prosecutors."

Douglas Innes and a representative of Stormforce Coaching Limited will appear at Southampton Magistrates court on the 3 November 2016.