THE BODY of a man was recovered from the sea in Co Clare yesterday within minutes of divers beginning a search of the area where he was last seen on Sunday.
The 29-year-old Polish national, who had been living in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was reported missing on Sunday afternoon after he fell into the sea from rocks near the Bridges of Ross, a popular fishing location on the northern shore of the Loop Head Peninsula. The man had been fishing with friends at the time.
His friends had attempted to rescue him by throwing a lifebuoy into the water but he had been washed too far from shore to be able to reach it. A massive search and rescue operation was started shortly after 3.30pm, but it was called off later in the evening.
It is understood conditions in the area at the time were poor and according to locals “it was blowing force four or five”. Locals also said people continued to fish in the deteriorating conditions even as a rescue helicopter searched the area, and were still fishing after the search was called off.
Early yesterday, the Irish naval vessel LE Orlaarrived in the area and acted as on-scene commander while staff at the Irish Coast Guard station at Valentia Island, Co Kerry, oversaw the overall operation. The search involved the Kilkee Marine Rescue Service, the RNLI lifeboat from Kilrush as well as the Kilkee and Doolin units of the Irish Coast Guard. Within 15 minutes of the underwater search beginning, divers located the body in about 35 metres of water.