The Coast Guard has scaled down its search off the Connemara coast for an English musician who failed to return from a swimming trip at the weekend.
The 39-year-old man, who has not been named, set out swimming on his own from Renvyle to Crump Island, about a mile offshore, on Sunday evening. The alarm was raised that night, prompting an extensive air, sea and land search. Winds were fresh and southerly, and it is believed the man may have made it to the island but got into difficulty on his return.
Cleggan Coast Guard has established an incident room at Renvyle House Hotel, where the man worked as a pianist. It worked with the Sligo-based search-and-rescue helicopter, Westport Coast Guard and volunteers.
During the initial stages, the helicopter and Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats from Clifden, Co Galway, and Achill, Co Mayo, were joined by local boats and divers.
The Garda Water Unit was called into the area on Monday, and yesterday's efforts focused around the uninhabited Crump Island.
Clifden lifeboat operations manager John Roberts said every island and outcrop had been searched extensively i.
