Three men missing on a fishing trawler off the west coast have been found safe and well.
The 42-foot vessel left Killybegs in Co Donegal on Wednesday, bound for Rossaveal, Co Galway, but the alarm was raised yesterday after it failed to make port.
The vessel is understood to have lost power and to have drifted out of radio contact at some point on the trip.
Fear for the fishermen's lives grew as conditions at sea turned windy on Thursday night with gales gusting to around force eight or nine.
However, the trawler was spotted 50 miles west of Slyne Head in Co Galway just before lunchtime today by a Coast Guard helicopter from Shannon and an Aer Corps fixed-wing aircraft.
Contact was made with the skipper of the vessel and all the men on board are understood to be safe and well.
The trawler is due to be towed to Rossaveal later today or earlier tomorrow morning.
An extensive search of the 150-nautical mile stretch of coastline involving several helicopters and coastguard boats had been underway since yesterday.
All three men on board are Irish. It is understood one is from Kildare and another from Galway.