THE BODY OF a man has been found in the course of a search operation to find Conor Mcloughlin, a man who was reported missing after he went into the water near Mac Dara Island off the coast of Co Galway on Thursday evening. 

A spokesperson for the Irish Coast Guard said that the identity of the man whose body was recovered has not yet been confirmed, and that the search operation has been suspended. 

“The Coast Guard’s thoughts remain foremost with the family of the missing man at this time. We would also like to acknowledge all involved in the search, including all Coast Guard personnel (Valentia Coast Guard, helicopter and boat crews and drone teams), An Garda Síochána, RNLI lifeboat crews, local boat users and members of the public,” a spokesperson said. 

Friends and family of Conor McLoughlin, the man reported as missing off the coast of Co Galway, lead a shore line search this morning. 

McLoughlin was reported as missing off Oileán Mhic Dara in the Carna area of Conamara, Co Galway, at around 6 pm Thursday evening. 

It’s understood that he had been with his wife on a yacht – the Peggy M – which they had anchored on the eastern side of Mac Dara’s Island, when he swam after a dinghy that had drifted from its mooring. His wife then made a call to the Irish Coast Guard.

Irish Coast Guard crews have been involved in searching for Conor since Thursday, and the Coast Guard helicopter has also been involved in the search. 

The Coast Guard scaled down its search yesterday evening, but a lifeboat crew from Clifden continued efforts to locate conor near Oileán Mhic Dara later into the night. 

All crews resumed their search at 9am this morning, alongside further air assistance. 

A family member of Conor’s said that he was last seen nearby Mac Dara’s Island wearing a Navy hat with a red band, a green sweater under black salopettes, and tan Dubarry sailing boots. 

Call for people to take part in shore line search.

The shore walk search started at a time of low tide. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday, divisional controller with the Irish Coast Guard John Draper said that the Aran Island and Clifden lifeboats have been searching around MacDara’s Island.

Draper said the call came in yesterday from the man’s wife, and that they had anchored their yacht on the eastern side of MacDara’s Island.

However, the dinghy drifted off in the current and the man swam after it.

After he got into difficulty, his wife made the call to the Coast Guard.

Draper added that conditions were “reasonably favourable” on Thursday evening and were similar yesterday morning.

He also remarked that it’s unlikely the man would have reached an island in the area and that the search teams are “saturating the area” in an effort to locate the man.

However, James Mullen, who is in charge of the RNLI Clifden Lifeboat, told RTÉ’s Today With Claire Byrne that the “weather has turned a bit this morning”.

“It is a bit challenging for searching,” said Mullen, who added that there is “nothing to report as yet”.

He added that the search has been a “testament” to the local community.

“I’m looking at the locals walking the shore, and the shore is getting a good search,” said Mullen yesterday. 

“We’re hoping that maybe he has made it on to one of the islands or has managed to scramble onto one of the rocks and is just looking for help,” he added.