Fishermen escape blaze on sinking trawler

Two fishermen escaped from their trawler off the South-East coast yesterday after it went ablaze and later sank.

The men were forced to abandon their vessel, The Kingfisher, about six miles from the fishing village of Dunmore East in Co Waterford at about 7.30am.

After attempts to fight the blaze failed, the men issued a may day call and boarded their life raft before being taken to shore by another fishing boat.