Their journey to Dublin began with a train to Fishguard, followed by a ferry to Rosslare.

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The man was sighted in the sea about 20 miles from the port of Rosslare as rescue helicopters were heading for the scene.

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The man fell overboard from the Stena Line ferry Koningin Beatrix which sails between Rosslare in the Irish Republic and Fishguard in west Wales.

BBC: Ferry passenger dies after falling overboard

From the ferry, via mobile-phone, the crew managed to track down the last remaining mini-bus and driver available in Rosslare to take them to Dublin.

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Stena Line had earlier cancelled its 0315GMT sailing on Friday from Fishguard, west Wales, to Rosslare, but was still undecided whether the 1430GMT sailing would go ahead.

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Irish Ferries' sailings from south west Wales between Pembroke and Rosslare have been cancelled for Friday, while Stena Line said its afternoon sailing from Fishguard was looking unlikely.

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However, the biggest problem facing the crew was that the ferry was due to arrive in Rosslare five minutes after the last last train to Dublin had departed.

BBC: Scrum V team beat the ash cloud for Leinster v Ospreys