Body boarder dies in Co Derry

A body boarder died today after he got into difficulty at sea while playing with his three children.

The man’s distraught wife raised the alarm after his board was washed onto Benone Beach, Downhill, Co Derry.

A coastguard lifeboat managed to locate him 30 yards from shore around 2pm, an hour after he was reported missing.

The unconscious man, who was in his 40s and from Belfast, was airlifted to Coleraine Hospital by a rescue helicopter from Prestwick, Ayrshire.

But attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

A Belfast coastguard spokesman said: “He was playing in the water with his three children when he got into difficulty.

“We don’t know exactly what happened.”

The spokesman said there was heavy surf in the area at the time of the tragedy.

The search also involved Castlerock Rescue Team and two lifeboats from Portrush.