A MAN HAS been rescued after the boat he was travelling in capsized off the coast of south Dublin this afternoon.

Members the Coast Guard were alerted to the incident shortly before 4pm, following a report that a boat had capsized and that a man was in the sea off Dalkey.

Several members of the public reported seeing the man in difficulty and raised the alarm, before Dun Laoghaire RNLI launched a lifeboat with three members on board.

Arriving on scene, the boat’s crew found a local fisherman assisting the man by keeping him afloat from his boat with the aid of a boat hook.

The crew proceeded to take the man out of the water and assessed his condition before administering casualty care.

Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 was also tasked and met the lifeboat crew in Dalkey, where the man was given more care.

A local doctor was also present and assisted the man until an ambulance arrived. The man was subsequently transferred to St Vincent’s Hospital for further treatment.

Commenting after the call out, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Helm Gary Hayes said it was a “tremendous effort” from all involved.

“We would like to extend our praise to the members of the public who alerted the emergency services as quickly as they did,” he said.

He also thanked the local fisherman for his help in the rescue and for his efforts in saving the man’s life.