Searches for men off Clare and Cork coasts

TWO MAJOR search operations were launched last night after a man went missing off West Cork when his boat overturned and two men went missing when their boat failed to return from a fishing trip off Co Clare.

The search operation off West Cork was launched by the Irish Coastguard for a man in his 50s who went missing when his boat overturned off Cod Head north of Allihies on the Beara Peninsula.

It is believed the man was out fishing with his teenage son when their boat overturned. They spent four hours clinging to the upturned boat before attempting to swim ashore. The son managed to reach the shore and raise the alarm.

The Irish Coast Guard at Valentia launched a search operation involving the RNLI Lifeboat from Castletownbere while the Irish Coast Guard helicopter from Shannon was also dispatched.

It is understood the man was wearing a life jacket when the boat overturned. Both Castletownbere Lifeboat and the Irish Coastguard helicopter took part in the search.

The Castletownbere inshore lifeboat was also launched and coastguard units were carrying out a shoreline search.

The Irish Coastguard was also co-ordinating a search operation off Spanish Point in Co Clare for a small fishing boat with two people on board which failed to return to Quilty in Co Clare as expected at about 5pm.

Irish Coast Guard units in Clare were mobilised and the Irish Coastguard helicopter from Shannon also joined in the search before it was diverted to West Cork. The Irish Coastguard helicopter from Sligo was dispatched to participate in the Clare search.

The boat was last seen south of Hags Head in Co Clare at about 1pm yesterday.

The Irish Coast Guard rescue co-ordination centre at Valentia Island in Co Kerry mounted a search operation shortly after 9pm.

The Shannon-based rescue helicopter was sent to sweep an area from Quilty north of Hags Head. The helicopter further extended its search south of Quilty towards Doonbeg and Kilkee.

The Doolin Coast Guard unit mobilised their rescue boat to search waters south from their base to Quilty while the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat was also sent from Kilronan to assist in the search.