Crew rescued from sinking trawler

Some 17 fishermen were rescued from a sinking Spanish trawler off the southwest coast this morning.

Some 17 fishermen were rescued from a sinking Spanish trawler off the southwest coast this morning.

The alarm was raised when the fishing vessel, Ortegal 3, advised the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre at Valentia at that its sister ship, Ortegal 1, was sinking.

The beleaguered vessel, a 30-metre net trawler, was positioned about 320 kilometres west of Shannon at the time.

All 17 crew on board the Ortegal 1 were safely transferred from the sinking vessel to the Ortegal 3, the Coastguard confirmed this afternoon.

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There were no injuries to crew and no assistance was required from the Coastguard.

The Ortegal 1 vessel is understood to have taken on water in a heavy seas, and to be "partially submerged".

An Air Corps aircraft remains in the area and will continue to monitor the situation, the Coastguard said.

South-westerly gales of force four and higher are understood to have made sea conditions in the area difficult.