A solo skipper, who’s yacht capsized off the coast of Ireland, is being praised by the emergency services.

The man, who is believed to be French, triggered his Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) at around 8pm on 26 July after getting into difficulties in heavy swells.

The yachtsman was around 20 miles off the Co Wexford coast.

The Marine Rescue Centre (MRCC) Dublin was alerted to the sailor’s position and the R117 Coast Guard helicopter from Waterford was immediately tasked to the area.

The lone yachtsman was spotted sitting on the hull of his 20-foot upturned vessel.

The crew winched the man to safety. He was then taken to shore and transferred to Waterford Regional Hospital.

The sailor was said to be shaken but otherwise unhurt.

It is not known what caused the yacht to capsize, although heavy swells were reported in the area.

A Coast Guard spokesman highlighted the importance of observing two safety rules when going to sea; a capacity to stay afloat if you do fall in the water and a capacity to communicate or raise the alert.

“This latest incident confirms the importance of these two basic approaches,” said the spokesman.

The sailor was located within an hour of activating his PLB.

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The yacht was worth tens of thousands of pounds and had travelled alone 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.