LATEST: One of two men rescued on Lough Ree has died

One of two men rescued on Lough Ree yesterday has died in hospital.
The 27-year-old fisherman is reported to have died overnight after being brought to Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe and later transferred to Galway.

Another man remains in a critical condition in hospital, while the search for a missing third man resumed at first light this morning on the lake.

The RNLI lifeboat crew, the Coastguard helicopter and local sub-aqua clubs are believed to be coordinating the search along with the Garda Water Unit.

The trio are understood be part of angling group from Armagh, who got into difficulty when their boat capsized in windy conditions shortly after leaving Hodson Bay yesterday afternoon.

The alarm was raised by a local man when he witnessed the group setting off for Carnagh in a 15 foot boat yesterday afternoon.  Conditions on the lake were described at the time as gusty with a force five to six wind.  

Lough Ree RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched just after 3.20pm and came upon a man in the water at 4pm.  They recovered the semi-conscious casualty onto the lifeboat and transported him to Hodson Bay where he was handed over to a waiting ambulance.

The lifeboat crew immediately returned to the scene to continue the search and located a second man in the water at 5.15pm.  He was again transferred by lifeboat back to Hodson Bay and met by ambulance, and is said to in a critical condition in hospital today.