Gardaí in West Cork are treating the death of a 34 year-old member of the Naval Service who fell into the sea at Schull in the early hours of this morning as a tragic accident.
The man who is from North Cork was among a group of personnel from the LE Aisling who had been on shore leave in Schull last night.
However, when the group returned by launch to the LE Aisling at around 2.30am it was discovered that the man was not on board.
The launch returned to Schull where his body was found floating by the quayside.
Naval personnel recovered the body and the man was pronounced dead at the scene before the body was brought to Bantry General Hospital.
The man’s remains have since been brought to Cork University Hospital where a full postmortem will be carried out later today.
Gardaí have examined the scene and say that they are treating the man’s death as a tragic accident.
The LE Aisling which was on fishery patrol duty off the South West Coast is returning to Naval Headquarters at Haulbowline today.