Body of missing student recovered from canal

The body of a student who disappeared on Wednesday night was today pulled from Dublin’s Grand Canal.

The body of a student who disappeared on Wednesday night was today pulled from Dublin’s Grand Canal.

Gardaí invstigating the disappearance of 21-year-old Alan Houston recovered the remains just yards from his Dublin home at 11am.

The third-year pharmacy student, who was originally from Letterkenny in Co Donegal, lived at Charlotte Quay Dock, Ringsend, during his studies at Trinity College.

Concerned friends who last saw Mr Houston at around 1am on Thursday morning raised the alarm when he failed to show up at university later that day.

Family and friends joined gardaí in their search for the missing man.

But members of the garda underwater unit found his body during a search of the water close to where Mr Houston lived.

A garda spokesman said the remains have been formally identified and the young man's family have been informed.

He described the death as a tragic accident.

"A post mortem will be carried out on the remains later today," said the officer.

"But we are not treating this death as suspicious and are not looking for anyone else in connection with it."

PA