An Irish coastguard helicopter yesterday airlifted to an Isle of Man hospital two fishermen who had been missing at sea overnight.
At 3 p.m. yesterday they had been found clinging to the hull of their boat which had upturned since 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The two men, from Fife in Scotland, were seen clinging to their boat, Hell Raiser, by the crew of the P&O ferry European Seafarer, which sails between England and Northern Ireland.
The Irish coastguard rescue helicopter, Rescue 166, winched the two men to safety. They were taken to Nobles Hospital, Douglas, on the Isle of Man.
The fishermen were found 13 miles north-west of the northern tip of the Isle of Man, between the island and the south-west of Scotland.
An extensive search had been under way since 11.15 a.m. yesterday when Liverpool coastguard received a call from Fife Police. They had been contacted by relatives when the two men failed to return home.
Liverpool coastguard sent rescue units to search the Luce Bay and Wigtown Bay areas in south-west Scotland. They also requested the assistance of the Irish coastguard rescue helicopter, which joined the the Royal Navy in the search yesterday afternoon.