Four people have been rescued after a fishing boat sank off the coast of Donegal.
The incident happened in the early hours of Thursday morning off Bloody Foreland near Magheraroarty.
A distress call was sent out from the vessel and was picked up by the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre in Malin.
A number of emergency service units including the Rescue 118 helicopter, Bunbeg Coast Guard Unit and the Arranmore lifeboat responded.
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However, all four fishermen who were on board the boat were taken to safety by a passing vessel and returned to Magheraroarty Pier.
A spokesperson for the Irish Coastguard said: “Just after midnight on Thursday 25th September the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre Malin was alerted to a fishing vessel sinking to the east of Bloody Foreland.”
Separately, a search for another fisherman was under way in Co Sligo on Friday.
It is believed he fell overboard from his vessel, and the Coast Guard is now focusing its operation on the area off Mullaghmore and out into Donegal Bay. Malin Head Coast Guard are co-ordinating the search.
A member of the public alerted the Coast Guard’s co-ordination centre of a fishing vessel that had run aground two nautical miles south of Mullaghmore Head.
The Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter R118, Killybegs Coast Guard Unit and RNLI lifeboats from Bundoran, Aranmore, Ballyglass and Sligo are continuing to search the area with a number of local fishing vessels assisting.
Councillor Dónal Gilroy, Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, said the fisherman’s boat was found near Cliffoney beach at the western side of Mullaghmore Head.
Mr Gilroy said local people are thinking of the man’s family today as the situation unfolds.
“People go for walks along the seashore and along the cliffs, they will keep an eye out. Everybody is just that bit more observant, to try and help get the man back to us,” he said.
