Body found believed to be farmer whose tractor fell into river

A body has been recovered from a river system in north Kerry amid a search for a farmer who has not been heard from since Monday afternoon. His empty tractor was found submerged in a tidal river on his lands near Listowel.

Jim Keane aged 70, of Dysart, Lixnaw was feared to have been swept into the river after his tractor slipped down a steep bank and could not be controlled. He not been heard from since Monday afternoon.

Mr Keane, a bachelor, lived alone.

A huge search got underway on Wednesday afternoon after the topmost part of the tractor – all that was visible – was spotted in the River Brick, near his home at Dysert, Lixnaw. The Brick is a wide tidal river which joins the Cashen River near Ballybunion.

Gardaí and the Ballybunion Sea Cliff and Rescue Service as well as the Mallow Water Rescue Unit co-ordinated the search along with assistance from Valentia Coastguard.

Frank O’Connor of the Ballybunion rescue group said the tractor had been raised from the water yesterday and the surrounding water searched.

“It was completely submerged in the river,” he said.

There were brake marks near the scene and the brakes had been applied, an examination of the vehicle had determined, in an apparent attempt to arrest the tractor but the steep ground and the conditions would have made that difficult, Mr O’Connor said.

The area where the tractor had ended up is isolated and remote from houses.

Locals had joined the search along the banks of the river which his quite dangerous in parts. At 4.48pm on Thursday divers from Mallow Search and Rescue located a body in the River Feale, at Curraghcroneen near a bend in the river where it is joined by the Brick.

The body has yet to be formally identified but it is believed to be that of the missing farmer.

The Health and Safety Authority have been notified also of the incident.