Missing man was at home during lifeboat search

A MAJOR search and rescue operation was mounted on the Shannon Estuary late on Sunday night for a man who was later found safe and well at home, oblivious to the efforts under way to locate him.

A group of men from Kildysart, Co Clare, had travelled across the estuary earlier in the day to go socialising in Foynes in Limerick. They travelled in three separate boats on an annual social event.

The three craft left Foynes at around 8.30pm to return to Kildysart, However, only the two larger boats arrived on schedule.