Three men have died and a fourth has been released from hospital in Cork after a 25ft fishing boat caught fire in Bantry Bay, Co Cork yesterday evening.

The sole survivor, an American in his 60s who was living in nearby Glengariff, was rescued from the water by Irish Coastguard helicopter.

The incident occurred at about 1730 on Monday evening and the Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat launched 11 minutes later to the waters south of Roundcarrig Lighthouse off Adrigole Harbour in Bantry Bay, where the boat eventually sank.

According to news agencies, one of the victims is Irish while two are from Germany and all were in their 60s.