A fisherman died today after being rescued alive by divers from a sunken fishing boat off the Northern Ireland coast.
The dead man was named locally as Mark Speers (22) who lived at Ballymadurphy outside the fishing village of Kilkeel.
An air and sea search was mounted after the mussel boat Charismawent down in Carlingford Lough off Rostrevor, Co Down today.
Two crew members were swiftly plucked from the icy waters by another fishing boat and taken to hospital.
But it was nearly 90 minutes later when divers found the third member of the crew trapped in an air bubble inside the boat on the sea bed.
It was in shallow water less than 100 metres from shore and the divers managed to get him free. He was taken ashore by lifeboat and by ambulance to hospital in nearby Newry in a critical condition.
Despite the best efforts of doctors he died a short time later.
The two other men were detained in hospital, one in a critical condition and the other said to be stable.
The search operation was mounted after coastguards received a Mayday call at 11.44 a.m. The search party included an RAF helicopter, local lifeboat, and Naval patrol vessel, along with local fishing boats, the Police Service diving team and members of a local sub-aqua club.
Coastguards said sea conditions were not rough when the 10 metre Charismacapsized and an investigation has been launched into the cause.
Northern Ireland Fisheries Minister, Mrs Brid Rodgers, tonight expressed her sorrow at the loss of life in the sinking.
Mrs Rodgers said: "I want to express my condolences to the family of the deceased and my thanks to all the emergency services who assisted in the rescue of his colleagues."
PA