Gardaí unable to recover woman's body off Cliffs of Moher

A renewed effort is expected to made today to recover a body from the base of the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare.

The alarm was raised at around lunchtime yesterday after the body, believed to be that of a woman, was seen on the shoreline below the viewing platform at the 700 foot high cliffs.

Divers from the Garda Water Unit arrived in Doolin last night and were taken by boat to the scene by the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard.

With the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter hovering overhead providing illumination for search teams, two Garda divers managed to make it ashore in rough conditions.

They were unable to recover the body however and the operation was abandoned shortly before 10pm as conditions deteriorated.

A further attempt to reach and recover the body is expected to be made today if conditions allow.

Gardaí are waiting to identify the body and as of last night, had not received any reports of a missing person.

The circumstances of the woman’s death are unknown while gardaí are investigating the tragedy.