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A COAST GUARD helicopter rescued three swimmers who got into difficult in the water near the Wooden Bridge in Clontarf in Dublin.

The three men, believed to in their 20s, were winched to safety this afternoon after one of their friends called the Coast Guard for assistance.

The incident happened before 2pm this afternoon in the waters near Bull Island.

Eyewitnesses said that one of the men jumped into the water and got into difficulty before his friend jumped in to help him. The second man also got into difficulty so a third also jumped into the water to help.

It was at this point that two of their friends on the bridge decided that the assistance of the Coast Guard was required.

The three men stayed in the water until the Coast Guard arrived on the scene soon after and winched each of them aboard.

- With reporting by Céimin Burke

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