Five people were recovering today after being rescued from a powerboat off the Co Galway coast.
The occupants called for help when the 24ft vessel ran aground 600 metres off Barna near Galway city last night.
The RNLI Galway inshore lifeboat was launched shortly after 10pm and the five were transferred to the lifeboat and taken ashore immediately. The powerboat was later towed ashore.
"These five people were very lucky," said Galway RNLI Lifeboat operations manager Pat Lavelle.
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"Visibility was poor and the area they ran aground in is strewn with rocks.
"Our four lifeboat crew had to manoeuvre the lifeboat very carefully to the scene and worked quickly to evacuate the casualties.
"The area has seen many marine accidents in the past."