TWO LIFEBOAT crewmen were winched to safety yesterday from the sea off Co Donegal after their vessel capsized in a freak wave during a routine training exercise.
They were hauled from the water about 600 metres off Bundoran by the Coast Guard helicopter based at Strandhill, Sligo.
A third member of the Bundoran lifeboat, a trained life guard, swam to shore on his own. The lifeboat was washed ashore at nearby Tullan Strand.
Malin Head Coast Guard station, which co-ordinated the rescue, was alerted via a 999 call at 11.18 this morning.
Lifeboats at Ballyglass near Belmullet in Co Mayo and at Killybegs were launched and sailed towards the scene.
A local fisheries inspectorate boat also took to the water.
The helicopter, which was on its way back from an exercise off Portrush, diverted to the area and brought the rescued men to Sligo General Hospital.
The men, one in his 20s and one in his 30s, had been in the water for about 40 minutes. They were said to be "none the worse" for their ordeal.
A Coast Guard spokesman said there was a moderate swell with winds between force four and five - up to 30 kilometres per hour - when the lifeboat capsized.
A local lifeboat spokesman said: "It was a bit choppy, but nothing extraordinary. It looks like they encountered a freak wave."
An RNLI spokeswoman said it was "not unusual" for an inshore lifeboat to capsize during a training exercise.
She added: "By their nature, training exercises are used to try out difficult situations and ensure that all crew are familiar with the boat in a controlled environment.
"They have to call in every 20 or 30 minutes, so it is totally unlike an actual rescue mission."
It was the second incident so far this year in which RNLI crew had to be rescued during an operation off Irish shores.
Last month, the Portrush lifeboat, Katie Hannan, ran aground on rocks after it was launched to go to the aid of three fishermen whose boat got into difficulties off Rathlin Island.
The 40-tonne Severn class vessel was hit by a freak wave. Stranded crew were airlifted from the stricken vessel.
One eye-witness said the men were winched from the sea close to dangerous rocks.
He said: "The waves were very, very angry. It was hairy. The crew did very well to get out."