Two fisherman rescued off the coast of north Donegal yesterday after their fishing vessel got into trouble have died in hospital overnight.
They were today named locally as borthers Francis (71) and Daniel McDaid (69).
They were from Glengad, an area on the Inishowen peninsula around 3km from Malin Head, the country's most northerly point.
A major search and rescue operation began after the vessel was reported missing at about 5pm yesterday close to Inishowen Head.
The men were found around three miles east of the Head after 7pm. They died in hospital in Derry overnight, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokeswoman confirmed today.
The incident is being investigated by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board and their northern counterparts the Marine Accident Investigation Board.
A spokesman for the Irish Coast Guard said the alert was raised at around 5.15pm. A Coast Guard helicopter from Sligo was sent to the scene, along with two lifeboats from Lough Swilly and Coast Guard vessels from Greencastle and Portrush, in Northern Ireland.
One of the men was airlifted to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, and the second was brought to Greencastle, where he was transported to Altnagelvin by ambulance.
Last night rescue services said they thought the men's fishing trawler had sunk.
Local Fine Gael councillor and family friend Bernard McGuinness described the pair as experienced fishermen. "Everybody is just numb with all of this. It's such a close knit community and people are shocked. "Yesterday was such a fine day, nobody expected this."
Both men were married with children and grandchildren and had brothers and sisters living in the area. "They (the family) are just numbed and shocked by this," Mr McGuinness said.
Sinn Fein councillor Padraig MacLochlainn said: "Once again this tragedy puts into sharp focus the risks which members of the fishing community have to take to earn a living. "It is the second such tragedy in this community in recent years and there is deep shock among their friends and neighbours. "I want to extend my deep condolences to the men's families."
Fianna Fail Donegal North East TD Dr James McDaid said it was a tragedy for the family and county. "I would like to offer my sympathies to the family," he said. "At least their bodies have been recovered, at least that is some consolation for the family. "But it still must be a terrible shock for them," he said.