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Two sailors whose boat capsized off Co Donegal were rescued by the Lough Swilly Ferry.
Michael Shields and his niece Katie Brennan from Hillsborough, Co Down, were sailing off Kinnegar beach at Rathmullan on Monday afternoon when their small boat began to take in water.
They tried to swim to shore but got caught in the strong current.
They were wearing buoyancy aids to keep them afloat but were in the water for up to 30 minutes before being rescued.
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The RNLI Lough Swilly lifeboat unit was dispatched at 1.20pm, but they were picked up by the ferry before it arrived.
The ferry was just 200m from the pair on a routine crossing from Buncrana when it was were alerted to the emergency. Skipper Edward Sweeney manoeuvred his vessel towards them and a ramp was lowered to haul them onboard.
Mr Sweeney said its was “pure luck” that his vessel was close by.
“We got them climbed onto to the ferry, but the man was in a bit of shock. By then, the lifeboat crew reached us and we brought them onboard too. We wrapped the man and woman in blankets, brought them inside and gave them hot drinks,” he said.