The Kilmore Quay lifeboat, Mary Margaret, was launched at 1.05 a.m. yesterday morning following a distress call from a fishing vessel.
The trawler, with five persons on board, was taking water 19 miles south of Kilmore Quay. The lifeboat was joined by an RAF Sea King Helicopter from Chevner in Wales. The five crew members of the 75 ft fishing vessel had abandoned ship to their lifecraft and were later picked up by a passing ship and then transferred to the lifeboat.
Several lifeboat crew went aboard the trawler with a pump and it was towed to Kilmore Quay.