Man dies as boat capsizes

Wreckage of the boat floats on the water

A man in his 50s has died after a fishing boat hit rocks and capsized off the County Antrim coast.

The incident happened at Portballintrae at about 1730 BST on Friday.

Three other people who were on board the 28ft clinker-built open vessel were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia.

A helicopter and a lifeboat from nearby Portrush were deployed along with a coastguard team.

Holidaymaker Tom Place watched the accident as it happened.

"A freak wave hit it broadside and it just disintegrated," he said.

"It smashed into pieces - the large wave went right over it, and the next I saw, there were pieces of debris in the water and people bobbing about in the water.

"I think there were four people who ended up in the water, some of them clinging to pieces of debris.

"Very quickly, a white boat came out from the harbour and started to throw lifeaids into the water."

Coastguard watch manager Diane Gadd said: "They hit the rocks off Portballintrae, the boat sank and they were thrown into the water.

"Four people were recovered but sadly there was one fatality."

A lifeboat crew was called out to rescue the boys

Earlier on Friday, two boys had a lucky escape when the wind swept their dinghy out to sea off the County Antrim coast.

The boys, aged 11 and 12, were playing in the dinghy in the Carnlough area when they got into difficulties and got swept out to sea.

They were rescued by the Red Bay lifeboat.

In County Down, the Bangor and Donaghadee lifeboats were also called out after reports that a fishing boat was sinking.

The boat got into difficulties just inside the mouth of Belfast Lough.

The lifeboats had been trying to keep it afloat.