Man drowns off Galway coast

A man has drowned following a boating accident off the Galway coast this afternoon.

The man in his 50's is understood to have left Carreroe in Connemara in a currach earlier and was reported missing at around 3.30pm.

A major search and rescue operation involving the Aran Islands lifeboat, the Costello Bay Coast Guard unit and the Shannon based rescue helicopter was launched.

An empty currach was found during the search and later, the body of a man was also recovered.

Attempts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful.