POLICE IN NEW York investigating the disappearance of an award-winning Irish filmmaker earlier this month have found a body.

While the body hasn’t been officially identified, NBC reports that law enforcement sources are investigating the possibility that the body could be that of missing McDonnell.

Ross McDonnell, a three-time Emmy winner living in Brooklyn, has been missing since either the late Saturday night of 4 November or in the early morning on Sunday 5 November.

It is believed he visited Fort Tilden beach on one of those dates.

According to NBC News, police received a call last Friday concerning a dismembered body found lying in the sand at Breezy Point Beach in Queens.

The US media outlet reported that the body consisted of a human torso with legs attached but the cause of death is still to be determined.

NBC news also reported sources as saying no foul play was suspected.

While the body hasn’t been officially identified, NBC reported that law enforcement sources believe the remains appeared to be that of Ross McDonnell.

Friends and family of the 44 year old have been appealing to anyone with information on Ross’s whereabouts to come forward.

His bike was discovered at the beach on the 7 November, according to a missing persons post being circulated on social media by his friends and family.

The director, producer and cinematographer was born in Dublin, and started off his career in photography before moving into film, with his first feature film Colony debuting at the Toronto Film Festival in 2009.

The appeal included information related to Ross’s belongings, which it says include a red puffer North Face vest, black and white sneakers, dark coloured khaki pants, and a black North Face backpack.