Three people have been rescued off the coast of County Wexford after their yacht sank this afternoon.

The coastguard helicopter from Waterford reached the two men and one woman within a half an hour of their mayday call.

Irish Coastguard spokesperson Declan Geoghegan said emergency services picked up the call from the 37-foot vessel at around 3:30pm this afternoon.

“They sent a mayday and the coastguard helicopter from Waterford responded,” he said.

“When they arrived on scene, the yacht had already begun to sink, it was taking on water.

“They rescued the three people, two males and a female, and took them to Waterford Airport; they didn’t require medical attention.”

Authorities were unable to salvage the yacht which has now sunk beneath the waters just off the Saltee Islands.