Body of man recovered from River Lee after search in Cork City

The alarm was raised at around 7pm after a man was spotted in difficulty in the water in the vicinity of Pope's Quay

Rescue helicopter 117 assisting in the search operation in Cork on Wednesday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A man has died after he got into difficulty in the waters of the River Lee in Cork City earlier this evening. 

It is understood that two men entered the water in the vicinity of Pope's Quay at around 7pm on Wednesday. 

After one of the men got into difficulty, the second man exited the water and raised the alarm.

Gardaí, several units from Cork City Fire Brigade, and members of the National Ambulance Service responded to the incident. 

A major search operation involving firefighters, gardaí, and the Irish Coast Guard was subsequently launched, and rescue helicopter 117 was tasked to assist in the search.

The search was concluded after a man's body was recovered from the water near St Mary's Dominican Church a short time later.

The man who died is understood to be aged in his 30s.