Desperate members of a lifeboat crew tried to save the life of a colleague whose car slipped into the sea in a freak accident off the coast of Donegal.

Safety messages are also being issued to anyone going near open water.

The good summer weather last year resulted in an increase in the number of people rescued by lifeboats.

Lifeboats around Ireland were launched 377 times over the summer amid often unpredictable weather.

Flares burned and horns sounded as one of Ireland’s busiest lifeboat crews sailed their new hi-tech vessel into its new harbour home yesterday.