Published Saturday, 02 June 2012
Boats in the Belfast Lough area were called to help following the Mayday call. (© Maurice Henderson)
Ballyholme dive club made a Mayday call at around 12.20pm on Saturday to report that two of their members had not returned from a drift dive close to the Copeland Islands.
Maurice Henderson was fishing for mackerel on board Betsy III when all vessels in the area were called to help in the search.
"We had been fishing beside the divers during the day and were on our way back when we heard the Mayday call. We headed straight over to where they were," he told UTV.
Dublin Coastguard sent a helicopter and RNLI lifeboats from Donaghadee and Larne also joined in the search.
Coastguard Rescue Officers from Bangor were sent to conduct a coastal search in the vicinity of Orlock Point.
Gary Young from Belfast Coastguard said: "Cobblers Den, a vessel on scene, located the two divers and assisted with their recovery from the water into Bangor lifeboat.
"The two divers were then transferred onto Donaghadee lifeboat to be medically assessed.
"The divers were reported as being fit and well and no further medical attention was required."