Video: Fishermen winched to safety by Coastguard moments before boat sinks

The Stornoway Coastguard was contacted after the luda Naofa vessel began taking water on board on Monday

Three of the men were treated for hypothermia after the rescue (Maritime and Coastguard Agency)

Footage has been released of a dramatic sea rescue that saw five fishermen rescued from a fishing boat moments before it sank in rough seas off the Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland.

The footage released by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, shows the Stornoway Coastguard’s rescue helicopter winch one of the the boat’s fishermen to safety as the others cling to the vessels upturned stern.

After being knocked off the boat by a wave, the other crew members are seen floating in choppy waters off the island in the Outer Hebrides.

A helicopter was sent to help the ship and initially lowered down a salvage pump in an attempt to keep the vessel afloat.

It was soon clear that the boat had taken on too much water to be saved and the helicopter’s efforts turned to saving the five men on board.

Three of the men were pulled onto the helicopter and airlifted to hospital.

The two remaining crew members were winched to a nearby vessel, aptly named The Star of Hope.

Crew member Michael O'Conghaile, told the Aberdeen-based newspaper Press & Journal newspaper: “The coastguard said from the moment all five of us were on the stern it took just 35 seconds to go down. When I was in the water and holding on to dad, I saw a seagull eating a fish and I was looking at him thinking ‘This is just a normal day for you'.”

Reports said that three of the men were treated for hypothermia following the incident.