Yesterday evening Bantry Inshore Lifeboat was called out to a vessel in distress two miles south of Roan Carrig lighthouse in the bay.

The vessle was on fire and sinking by the time the lifebat arrived on scene.

The Castletownbere lifeboat had just arrived before  BISRA and both crews stayed on scene until burning vessel sank before them.

Thankfully , and by coincidence, Rescue Helicopter 117 from Shannon was refuelling in Castletownbere at the time of the emergency call.

All services responded as quickly as possible but three casualties were reported dead on scene.

A fourth person was the only survivor, and has been released from hospital this morning