The search for a young boy reported missing in the vicinity of the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare on Tuesday continued on Thursday in what the Irish Coast Guard has now described as a “recovery operation”.
A land, air and sea search was mounted at around 2.00pm on Tuesday after the young boy, believed to be 12 years old, was reported missing by his family who are understood to be visiting from overseas.
It’s thought that the boy had become separated from his family who then tried to find him. When there was no sign of the child, they returned to the visitor centre and alerted staff there.
Gardaí were alerted initially while the Irish Coast Guard was also requested to mobilise resources to assist with a search.
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Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue co-ordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted a multi-agency operation involving the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard, the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat and the Shannon based search and rescue helicopter.
The search continued for several hours including around the base of the cliffs however conditions were not safe for personnel to reach the shoreline to carry out a more detailed survey. The search was called off on Tuesday evening but resumed on Wednesday morning.
Doolin Coast Guard were joined by a drone team from Clare Civil Defence and divers from the Garda Water Unit. Helicopter Rescue 115 also assisted during the afternoon. Garda divers swam in to the base of the cliff and carried out a comprehensive search, but no trace was found.
The operation was suspended on Wednesday evening but resumed at lunchtime on Thursday with Coast Guard volunteers from Doolin continuing their clifftop search.
A drone team from Cleggan Coast Guard in Galway travelled to Clare to assist their Doolin colleagues.
Clare Civil Defence also deployed their drones for a second day and were joined by drone teams from Cork North and Cork West Civil Defence and another team from Kerry. They were briefed in Ennis by Civil Defence Officer for Clare Mr Steven Hayes before travelling to the search area. All teams deployed their drones at various locations along the Cliffs of Moher.
Drift modelling software was used in an effort to establish what direction a body might be carried. Winds over the past two days have been from the south which could carry a body north along the coast.
Searches were also carried out along the Galway coastline.
The tragic incident is believed to have occurred in the vicinity of a viewing area about a kilometre south of O’Brien’s Tower and outside the area managed by the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience.
In May, a young woman died after she fell from the Cliffs of Moher. She was in her early 20s and a college student from Belgium who was studying in Scotland. She had been visiting the Cliffs of Moher with three friends when she lost her footing and fell.
In January 2019, a 26-year-old Indian national fell to his death while taking selfies and the world famous tourist attraction.
In June 2007, a Hungarian man in his 20s died after he fell to his death at the Cliffs of Moher. He had also been taking photos at the time.
The Cliffs of Moher stand 702ft (214m) at their highest point and around 390ft (120m) at their most southern end at Hags Head.
Thousands of people visit the cliffs every day and many others walk the popular Cliffs of Moher coastal path which forms part of the Burren Way walking trail.
There are multiple warning signs along and at access points to the cliff trail advising the public of the dangers associated with leaving the marked trails.
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