Three missing divers were rescued last night by helicopter off the Co Kerry coast and were safe and well, Dick Hogan writes from Cork.
Eight divers had left Portmagee Harbour yesterday to dive off the Skellig Rocks some miles off the coast. Five divers, it is understood, wished to dive in shallow waters, while three others - two men and a woman - all believed to be experienced divers, were planning to dive to a depth of 40 metres.
They were diving in an area known to have particularly strong undercurrents. At about 5.30 p.m. their five colleagues rejoined the boat which had brought them to the dive site but there was no sign of the other three.
The alarm was immediately raised. According to a Valentia lifeboat service spokesman, the three missing divers were located by the rescue helicopter about three miles from where they had left the boat.