Two men were winched to safety by the Irish Coastguard helicopter this morning after their boat capsized in Dublin Bay.
They issued a distress call on their VHF radio shortly before 11am near the Baily lighthouse at Howth Head.
Winds in the area at that time were gusting from the south-east and sea conditions were difficult when the four-metre boat capsized, a spokesman for the Dún Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat said.
"The Irish Coastguard service launched its rescue helicopter from Dublin airport and it arrived at the scene at 11.20am and winched both casualties from the water."
The Dún Laoghaire lifeboat arrived shortly afterwards and towed the capsized rigid inflatable boat ashore.
“Carrying a marine VHF radio enabled the crew of this boat to make direct contact with the coastguard by issuing a Mayday distress call,” said Stephen Wynne, lifeboat operations manager with the RNLI at Dún Laoghaire.
“Had they relied on a mobile phone, they might not have had coverage with the steep cliffs at Howth or the phone could have been wet and useless - it was a lucky escape.”