Three fishermen have been rescued off the coast of Co Donegal.

The men from the Malin area took out a small fishing boat to test the engine just after 7:30pm last night.

The alarm was raised at around midnight, when they had failed to return home.

A large search operation was launched, involving a number of lifeboats and coastguard units - as well as local fishing boats.

The missing men managed to make a call at 2:30am this morning, giving details of their location. Conditions were described as choppy.

Lough Swilly RNLI's Shannon-class lifeboat then picked up a small spot on their radar, and headed for the area with large searchlights trained on the water.

They located the men safe and well, and wearing survival suits and lifejackets. The vessel had lost power and drifted 12 miles.

Commenting on the callout, Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboat operations manager John McCarter said: "You fear the worst when you hear fishermen are missing and we have seen too many tragedies in this part of the world."

"However the men kept their heads and were in proper survival gear which gave them every chance if something happened."

"The outpouring of support from the local fishing community was wonderful and bringing the vessel home under tow behind the lifeboat, to be greeted by locals lining the pier at that early hour of the morning was an incredible sight," he added.

The RNLI have also released footage of some of the operation: