A major search will resume in Galway Bay tomorrow for one of two swimmers reported missing earlier today, one of whom was later found deceased.
Members of Clare Civil Defence were deployed to assist in the multi-agency operation which was mounted shortly after 10.00am today.
It was initially reported that a man had gone swimming at Silver Strand near Barna in Co Galway and was last seen at around 8.00am. A search was mounted for the 74-year-old when he didn’t return from his swim. Clothing had been found on the shoreline at Silver Strand.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre mounted a search and rescue operation in the area between Salthill and Bearna.
The Galway RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched and commenced a search of the area where the man was last seen. Soon afterwards it was confirmed that a second swimmer, a women in her 30s, was also unaccounted for.
The Aran Islands RNLI all-weather lifeboat was also tasked along with the Costello Bay and Cleggan units of the Irish Coast Guard. The volunteer Oranmore Maree Coast Search Unit also sent a search boat to the area.
Clare Civil Defence was contacted and requested to mobilise one of their unmanned aerial vehicle (uav/drone) search teams. Members travelled to the search area from their base in Ennis and quickly mounted an aerial search.
After darkness fell and the tide receded, the drone team used a powerful light on their aircraft to carry out further searches of the water’s edge and shoreline for the missing woman. Civil Defence drone teams from Galway and Mayo were also involved in the operation.
The Irish Coast Guard confirmed: “The Irish Coast Guard’s Marine Rescue Sub Centre in Valentia are currently coordinating a search in support of An Garda Síochána for two missing swimmers at Silver Strand Barna Co. Galway. Two swimmers, one male and one female, were reported overdue separately in the same location this morning before 10:00am. The conditions on scene are calm but dense fog covers the area.
The body of one male swimmer was subsequently recovered by Aran Island Lifeboat at 1:30pm. Resources on scene include Costelloe Bay Coast Guard boat, Galway Bay RNLI and Aran Island Lifeboat in addition to the Civil Defence. Cleggan Coast Guard Unit are also on scene assessing conditions for a drone search. A number of local boats are also searching the area in support of the search.”
The search has been stood down for the night but will resume on Wednesday morning.