SEARCH AND RESCUE teams have been deployed off the east coast after a crewman on a merchant vessel was reported missing this morning.

The search is winding down for the evening but the Fehn Sirius is still backtracking over its path. The boat had been en route from Belfast to Portugal.

The 22-year-old man was reported missing to the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre of the Irish Coast Guard at about 8.45am. At that time, the vessel was 17 nautical miles south east of Arklow in Wicklow.

The LE Ciara from the Naval Service was deployed to assist the Arklow, Portaferry and Newcastle lifeboats in the co-ordinated search.

RAF and Coast Guard helicopters joined the search earlier today but have been stood down for the evening. The lifeboats have also returned from sea but the LE Ciara is currently shadowing the Antiguan registered merchant vessel on retracing its route.

The Coast Guard helicopter from Waterford searched an area from Dublin airport to the south, while a UK RAF helicopter from Prestwick searched an area from Northern Ireland to the East of Dublin.

The Air Corps has also deployed a CASA Maritime Surveillance aircraft to assist with the search using its specialist maritime surveillance suite.