LAST UPDATE | 20 Mar

AN IRISH MAN aged in his 30s has died while holidaying in Spain’s Canary Islands.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing assistance following the discovery of the man’s body on Monday afternoon in the Puerto Rico Beach resort in Gran Canaria.

The man is understood to hail from Downpatrick, Co Down.

Local police told The Journal that the man was found at 2.15pm (12.15 GMT) “face down with a head injury” in a tourist apartment on the island.

The Guardia Civil police force said it is currently investigating to discover whether the man’s death was “violent or not”.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs told The Journal that it was aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.

“As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of any specific case,” the spokesperson added.

SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath has offered his condolences to the family and friends of the deceased man.

“I’d like to offer my thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the young man from Downpatrick who has tragically been found dead in Gran Canaria. This will come as devastating news and will be compounded by the difficulty of it happening overseas,” McGrath said.

“It is never easy to lose a loved one, but to see a young life cut short in such circumstances is unimaginable.

“I understand that an investigation is underway into the circumstances of the man’s death and the family must be kept updated at this difficult time and receive the necessary help and support. I hope that he can be returned to Downpatrick as soon as possible so his family can lay him to rest.”