Search stood down as Mayo man found safe on Lough Corrib

THE search for a missing man on Lough Corrib was stood down on Sunday morning after local search teams found him safe and well on the lake.

The Claremorris man had launched his small boat from Golden Bay earlier on Saturday and the alarm was raised by his wife late on Saturday night when he failed to return to shore.

The Irish Coast Guard Rescue helicopter, based in Sligo, was tasked to assist in the major search operation and arrived over the lake around 1.15am. Despite an extensive and exhausting search that lasted for one hour and forty minutes with numerous slow trips over the vast lake at a height of 250 to 300 feet close to Clonbur, Corr na Mona and over towards Cong, no sighting of the missing man and his boat was observed by the crew who departed the lake around 2.50am heading back to Sligo.

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The Corrib and Mask Rescue teams were also out on the lake along with the boats of some local fishermen and other boaters and many of these assembled at Lisloughrey Pier and Golden Bay to join in the search.

Details of the missing grey boat with a red stripe were provided to the various search teams and several boats were on the lake during the night. The drama had a good ending when the man was eventually located as daylight spread across the region and he was brought safely ashore. It is understood that he was taken to hospital for observation after his day and night out on the lake and has since been discharged and is back home again.