A fisherman was killed tonight when his capsized boat smashed into rocks off the coast of Northern Ireland.
Four men were on the 28ft clinker-built open vessel when it was swamped by waves near Portballintrae on the North Antrim coast.
The three others were rescued and taken to hospital, the coastguard said. An eyewitness who was holidaying in the area said: "It smashed into pieces, a large wave went right over it.
"The next I saw were pieces of debris on the water and people bobbing about in the water, just like that in a flash.
"It was quite horrific."
It is understood the men had been returning from a day's angling when they hit stormy conditions.
A helicopter and a lifeboat from nearby Portrush were called to the scene. A coastguard team was also scrambled, but tragically by the time they got there it was too late.
Coastguard watch manager Ms Diane Gadd said: "They hit the rocks off Portballintrae, the boat sank and they were thrown into the water.
"Four people were recovered but sadly there was one fatality."
Earlier a lifeboat went to the aid of a vessel in trouble on Belfast Lough and in Carnlough, County Antrim, two 11-year-old boys were rescued when winds dragged their dinghy out to sea.
PA