Man's body recovered from car submerged in river Lee in Cork city

Gardaí and members of Cork Missing Persons are currently on scene close to Kennedy Quay

A missing person search which had been ongoing across the weekend is expected to be formally stood down pending formal identification of the remains.

The body of a man has been recovered from a car which was taken from the river Lee in Cork city this afternoon.

A missing person search, which had been ongoing across the weekend is expected to be formally stood down pending formal identification of the remains.

While garda investigations are at an early stage, it is understood the incident is being treated as a personal tragedy.

Emergency services had been searching a stretch of the river Lee at Kennedy Quay this morning after reports that a car was seen entering the water earlier.

Divers from the Mallow Search and Rescue team, with assistance from Cork City Fire Brigade units, located a car in the channel around lunchtime.

Emergency services team members at the scene near Kennedy Quay this afternoon.

Gardaí and members of Cork Missing Persons are also on scene.

Strong currents and low visibility made diving conditions difficult.

A crane was called in, and despite the difficult conditions, the divers managed to attach ropes to the car which has been recovered to the quayside within the last hour.

The man's body was found inside and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The remains will be removed to Cork University Hospital for a post mortem examination and a file will be prepared for the coroner's court in due course.

More to follow . . .