Major Search Under Way for Yachtsman Believed Missing in Irish Sea Off Dunmore East

20th April 2025

Afloat.ie Team

File image of Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat, which is on the scene of a major search operation for a yachtsman believed missing in the Irish Sea on Easter Sunday Credit: RNLI/Nigel Millard

A major search and rescue operation is continuing on Easter Sunday (20 April) for a man missing from a yacht in the Irish Sea.

According to The Journal, it’s believed that the missing man fell overboard from the UK-registered yacht some 16 nautical miles south of Dunmore East in Co Waterford on Saturday night (19 April).

RNLI lifeboats from Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay and Ballycotton are at the scene along with Irish Coast Guard helicopters Rescue 116 and Rescue 117 and a HM Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft to search the area.

As RTÉ News reports, a spokesperson for the coastguard said one other man who was found on board the vessel was rescued after “a needle in a haystack” search.

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