Lifeboats launch two searches for vessels

Emergency services were last night searching the seas off West Cork for a vessel carrying three people.

The rescue operation was launched at around 9pm to search for the sailing boat which had left Long Island near Schull at 3pm to travel to Rossbrin a short distance away, and which was expected to be back at Long Island by 7pm.

At time of going to press, the boat, carrying two men and a woman, was still missing.