The search for a fisherman reported overdue last night has been stood down after a body was found this afternoon.
The alarm was raised at around 9.30pm last night when the man was reported not to have returned to shore after an afternoon fishing. A search and rescue operation was mounted and an unmanned boat was soon located.
The Galway and Aran Islands RNLI lifeboats were launched while the Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 also assisted in the search until it was stood down at around 1.00am.
The operation resumed at first light this morning with both lifeboats continuing searches of Galway Bay. The Costello Bay unit of the Irish Coast Guard joined in the search which also involved the Sligo based search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 118.
Volunteers from the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard were also requested to assist by carrying out shore searches from Finavarra to Parkmore. Gardaí were also involved in the operation.
At around midday today, the skipper of one of several local fishing boats which had also been assisting in the search, reported seeing something on the shoreline near Rinville.
A body was located on the shore in Oranmore Bay about 8 kilometres east of where the empty fishing boat was discovered last night. The remains were recovered from the water and taken back to Galway Docks from where they were transported to University Hospital Galway for a post-mortem examination.
The search which was co-ordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard marine rescue sub centre at Valentia in Kerry.