The search for a young boy missing at the Cliffs of Moher has been paused in its second day.
Members of An Garda Síochána, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the Irish Coast Guard, and local search and rescue services responded to a report yesterday, July 23, that a young boy was missing in the vicinity of the Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare, a spokesperson for An Garda Síochána told IrishCentral on Wednesday afternoon.
A co-ordinated search operation got underway, and resumed this morning, Wednesday, July 24.
However, due to adverse weather conditions locally, the search remains paused at present, the spokesperson said on Wednesday. It is expected to recommence once weather conditions improve and it is safe to do so.
According to RTÉ News, the search operation was launched on Tuesday after the young boy was separated from his family, who is believed to be holidaying in Ireland from overseas.
RTÉ News reported on Wednesday: "It is understood the crew of the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, spotted what is believed to be a body in the water at the base of a cliff.
"The area was inaccessible at the time with large waves breaking on the shoreline and the search was called off last night and resumed this morning.:
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport told RTÉ News that the Coast Guard are supporting a garda "operation to recover the body of a faller at the Cliffs of Moher."
"The Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia are assisting along with Doolin Coast Guard Unit and Coast Guard helicopter R115.
"Attempts at recovery have been undertaken using Doolin Coast Guard Unit boat and drone teams, Aran Islands life boat, and the Civil Defence drone teams in conjunction with An Garda Síochána," said the spokesperson.
RTÉ News added that despite Garda Water Unit members carrying out a comprehensive search of the shoreline on Wednesday, with help from Coast Guard volunteers on the cliff top and Rescue 115 from above, no trace of a body was found.
The search operation comes the same month that Lochlann Murray, from the Crossmaglen area of Co Armagh, died after falling onto the rocks just above the shoreline at the Cliffs of Moher on July 5.
The 17-year-old’s body was recovered from the area on July 7 afternoon by members of Rockcorry Divers and the North Coast Search and Recovery team.
"The area below could not be seen from the top of the cliffs, but information was relayed via a drone," an RDNCSR spokesperson told the Belfast Telegraph.
"Poor weather conditions in recent days, along with the swell and large rocks, made the recovery very difficult.
"Falling debris from the face of the cliff was another hazard the dive team had to be aware of.
"Divers made their way ashore to the base of the cliffs around 2:30 pm, and at around 3:30 pm, the body was located.
"The dive team successfully recovered the remains into their support vessel. The body was taken back to the Coast Guard station in Doolin."
A funeral for Lochlann was held on July 11 at St. Brigid's Church Glassdrummond.
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