Coast Guard searching for missing fisherman on Lough Mask

Gardaí and the Coast Guard are conducting a search on Lough Mask, Co Mayo, for a local fisherman who failed to return to shore on Friday.

It is understood the man, who is in his seventies and an experienced angler, went out on the Ballinrobe side of the lake at about midday but the alarm was raised when he failed to return.

Weather conditions on the lake deteriorated throughout the day and searches last night were hindered by the poor conditions. The man’s boat was recovered on Saturday.

The man is well known locally and has taken part in a number of angling competitions around Ireland.

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Lough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres. Along with Lough Corrib, it is one of the best known brown trout fisheries in Ireland. It is the middle of three lakes which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay.

A spokeswoman for the Garda confirmed on Saturday that searches for the man were underway.

“Searches are underway at Lough Mask, in the Cushlough area of Claremorris, for a man in his 70s who went out on his boat yesterday,” she said. “Gardaí and Lough Corrib Search and Rescue are currently at scene.

“The man’s boat has since been recovered. Searches are continuing.”