The Dunmore East lifeboat is returning to base now after a nine-hour mission.

The crew was launched at 8.20 this morning to assist a trawler with a fouled prop 40 miles south of Dunmore.

There were six crew members on board the 24 metre French vessel with sea conditions described as challenging.

The Dunmore lifeboat towed them safely back to shore arriving just before 6.00pm.