Galway RNLI rescued three people after a boat capsized off Salthill on Monday evening around 8pm.
The three people, who had been in the water for around half an hour before being rescued, were taken from the water and brought safely onboard the lifeboat.
They were assessed by paramedics before being taken by ambulance to hospital for further treatment.
The volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard after a small boat was reported to be in difficulty off Blackrock in Salthill. The alarm was raised by a person on a nearby boat.
The crew of helm Dave Badger, Aaron Connolly, Sean King and James Rattigan, launched the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat shortly after 8pm and made their way to Blackrock.
Conditions at sea were good with good visibility and the lifeboat and crew were quickly on the scene.
After rescuing the three people, the lifeboat and crew then went back out to sea to secure the boat which was towed back to Galway Docks so that it would not be a hazard to other boats or water users.
After the call out, Galway RNLI Helm Dave Badger said: “It was a good result this evening and we would like to commend the member of the public on another boat who spotted the three in difficulty and raised the alarm.
“Thankfully we were able to get all three casualties out of the water and bring them back to shore safely.
“The casualties were wearing lifejackets which gave them the best chance at staying afloat and being visible.
“Accidents happen and at any time you could end up in the water unexpectedly. Wearing a lifejacket buys you precious time until help arrives. If correctly fitted and maintained it will help you to float and it dramatically increases your chances of survival.”
