Four people were rescued on Thursday morning after their 14m yacht got into difficulty and subsequently sank 80km off the Wexford coast.
As the rollout of the vaccinations continues, deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn has warned that no vaccine is 100 per cent effective and there would be “breakthrough” cases of the coronavirus among those who had been fully vaccinated.
Hospitals remain extremely busy, the chief executive of the HSE has warned. Paul Reid, speaking at a weekly briefing, said “many of our hospitals face significant pressures on Covid and non-Covid services”.
A woman who spent 17 days in a coma with Covid-19 while pregnant, has given birth to a healthy baby girl. Laura Curtis was 21-weeks pregnant when she was admitted to intensive care at Beaumont Hospital. The 29-year-old recovered and is now mum to daughter Demi who was born in July.
Meanwhile, campaigner Vicky Phelan has said she will begin a new clinical trial in the United States, following her month-long stay at home in Ireland.
In world news, the United States on Thursday urged US citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options, as Taliban fighters captured the strategic Afghan city of Ghazni, taking them to within 150 km (95 miles) of the capital Kabul.
Actress Una Stubbs, best known for roles in the film Summer Holiday and in the BBC sitcoms Till Death Us Do Part and In Sickness And In Health, has died at the age of 84.
In the entertainment world, Florence Pugh can be seen wrapped in a shawl in a cemetery in a first look image from her new film The Wonder, on location in Ireland.
Finally in sport, Tipperary hurler Brendan Maher has announced his decision to retire from inter-county action in a statement released by the Tipperary county board.
