Ten crew members of a Spanish fishing vessel were rescued off the south coast yesterday when their vessel sank.
The Naval Service patrol ship, the LE Emer, took the 10 - two African and eight Spanish - on board after their vessel, the Grampian Duke, began taking in water about 170 miles south-west of Fastnet lighthouse early yesterday morning.
The crew were initially picked up by a neighbouring fishing vessel, and transferred to the patrol ship.
Five minutes after the patrol ship arrived on the scene, the British-registered vessel sank.
No medical assistance was required for the 10 crew, who were being transported yesterday evening to Cork harbour.
This is the third incident involving fishing vessels in less than a week in Irish waters.
Seven people were rescued in two incidents last weekend off the Clare and Cork coastlines.
However, mystery surrounds the fate of a vessel involved in one of these incidents.
After the crew of the Shearwater II were rescued 58 miles west-north-west of Loop Head, Co Clare, last Sunday, the vessel disappeared.
A fire had been reported on board and the crew was rescued by the Irish Coast Guard's Sikorsky helicopter from Shannon.
The Naval patrol ship, the LE Eithne, was dispatched to extinguish the fire and take it in tow.
However, there were problems with the tow and the vessel was left with warning lights on board, according to a Naval Service spokesman.
The LE Emer returned to the scene a day later and was unable to find it. The spokesman said that it "probably sank".