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Three people were taken to safety after their boat caught fire off the coast of Conamara this afternoon.
They were aboard a 7.5-meter inflatable boat when a fire broke out, shortly before 3:00 p.m.
The incident occurred in Bertraghboy Bay, near Roundstone.
The boat was evacuated and those on board made an emergency call after inflating a life raft.
The Shannon-based Coast Guard Rescue 115 helicopter was tasked with volunteers from Clifden RNLI.
Local fishing boats also participated in the rescue effort.
The life raft was towed by a local boat, with the RNLI escorting the sailors to shore, where they were medically evaluated.
Helmsman James Mullen paid tribute to the swift security measures taken by the couple when they ran into difficulties.
He said that if it weren’t for his emergency preparedness and the assistance of local fishermen, the outcome could have been very different.
The rescued couple is known to have been diving about three miles offshore when the fire broke out on their boat.
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