The body of a man, believed to be that of a missing angler, was recovered from the River Kenmare in Co Kerry yesterday.
A full-scale search had been underway in the River Blackwater area of the bay since Sunday evening when Michael Stapleton (51) failed to return after a fishing outing.
Mr Stapleton, who was originally from north Tipperary, lived near Templenoe, in the Kenmare area, with his partner and two children, aged 20 and 17. He had gone fishing from steep rocks west of Blackwater pier on Sunday morning and had been expected home at lunchtime.
However, he failed to return and gardaí were alerted at around 5pm on Sunday. Mr O'Sullivan's white Mitsubishi van was still in the area. The rescue helicopter from Waterford, along with local rescue groups including the Derrynane inshore sea rescue group, the Waterville cliff and coast rescue team, dozens of locals and several boats, joined in the search which resumed early yesterday.
Local divers also took part and shortly before lunchtime yesterday a diver located a body at Dereenamacken, alongside the spot where Mr Stapleton had gone fishing.
Sgt Eugene O'Sullivan, of Sneem Garda station, co-ordinated the search locally. He said the sea was choppy on Sunday and conditions were rough. He paid tribute to the large number of people who had taken part in the search.
The body was removed to Kerry General Hospital where a postmortem examination by assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster was due to begin this morning.