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Two men escape after ditching light aircraft in Lough Erne

Two men who were flying the aircraft are not believed to be injured.

Updated 10.50pm

Video: RNLI

TWO MEN ESCAPED without injury after they ditched their light aircraft in Lough Erne, near Derrylin in Co Fermanagh earlier today.

No one was injured in the accident which happened at around 4.30pm.

The PSNI confirmed that two men who were on board the aircraft were rescued by a member of the public who was passing by.

Authorities added that the two men are safe and well.

The Enniskillen RNLI said it launched the Atlantic 75 lifeboat and Rescue Water Craft  just after 4.45pm, arriving on the scene 20 minutes later.

The crew located the flashing red tail light of the plane which was submerged approximately two feet under the water. The video above shows a portion of the operation.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Davey Robinson said in a statement this evening that the two men were “very lucky”.

“The fact that they are both safe and unharmed is largely due to the skill of the pilot who managed to ditch the plane in the water near to the shore,” he said.

Lifeboat helm Chris Cathcart added: “The location where we found the aircraft submerged in the water was about hundred metres from the shore.  This undoubtedly helped in the successful outcome of the operation.”

The PSNI also attended the scene earlier this evening.

- additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell

First published 6pm

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    Mute Connachtabu
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    Feb 27th 2016, 8:35 AM

    Guess Enda will be preparing his resignation speech.

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    Mute TheBull
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    Feb 27th 2016, 9:25 AM

    Nice news to wake up to. :-D

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Feb 27th 2016, 12:51 PM

    Merkel will have a job for him lined up already like Hogan…

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    Mute Alfie Bonney
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    Feb 27th 2016, 7:18 AM

    If only we had some kind of electronic voting system that be good.. Oh wait

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    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
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    Feb 27th 2016, 10:28 AM

    There’s an #Eircode for that!.. Oh wait

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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Feb 27th 2016, 7:10 AM

    Get ready for a November election

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    Mute IrishGravyTrain
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    Feb 27th 2016, 7:19 AM

    Canvassing will be starting again on monday.

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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    Feb 27th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Why is it people with strong political attachments are allowed to be part of the count? What’s the criteria for selection?

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Feb 27th 2016, 1:12 PM

    What do you mean part of the count? The counting is done by public servants as far as I know. Each candidate is allowed a certain number of observers, which is only right, but they observe the counting, they don’t do it.

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    Mute Smiley
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    Feb 27th 2016, 7:22 AM

    What happens now? We all give thanks that the bloody politicking is over for now.

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    Mute Celtic_Horizon
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    Feb 27th 2016, 7:35 AM

    No think we have to endure it at least one more time with another general election

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    Mute gerry meagher
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    Feb 27th 2016, 2:01 PM

    How do people get selected for these election jobs. In my village there were at least six people working when it seemed to me that two would have been suffice .I didn’t know any of them

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Feb 27th 2016, 12:50 PM

    In that photo the one in the green top still has a polling station pencil in her hand lol.

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