Body recovered in search for Cork sailor

A body has been found in the search for a missing man off the coast of Co Cork.

The body of a man in his 60s has been recovered from the sea off the coast of West Cork.

The man who died, thought to be from Allihies, was sailing with his teenage son when their boat capsized yesterday afternoon.

It is understood the pair clung to the boat for around four hours before the teenager swam to shore and raised the alarm.

A Castleberetown Lifeboat Station spokesman confirmed that emergency services were deployed at around 9.40pm. A rescue helicopter spotted the body near Cods Head at around 1.30am.

In a separate search, two fishermen remain missing north of Spanish Head, Co Clare, after their trawler failed to arrive home at Quilty.

Morris Curtin, from the Irish Coast Guard Rescue Operations Centre in Valentia, said the two fishermen were from the local area.

“A lot of fishermen fish in and out of Quilty and we know the men are local,” he said.

He added that Garda divers had been requested and are due to search the coastline at around midday.

The alarm was raised at around 9pm – four hours after the trawler, Lady Eileen, was due to return home.

It was last seen at lunchtime.

The Kilkeel and Doolin Coast Guard, Aran Islands RNLI Lifeboat and a Coast Guard helicopter from Waterford were among those running the search.

Mr Curtin said they would continue to focus on Spanish Point after debris was spotted early today.

“There was a smell of diesel and some fishing boxes and debris was found,” he said.

“Things that looked like they could have come from a trawler.”