Naval Service divers search for man missing near Baltimore

Naval Service and local divers have carried out a number of searches for a man missing off the west Cork coast near Baltimore in a tragedy which has already claimed the lives of his father and girlfriend.

Barry Davis Ryan remains missing after going to the rescue of his girlfriend, Niamh O’Connor, when she fell or was swept into the sea near Beacon Point outside Baltimore around 6.30pm yesterday.

Mr Davis Ryan’s father, Barry Ryan, also went to the assistance of Ms O’Connor and all three were swept out by waves at an area known as Eastern Hole Bay on the seaward side of Beacon Point.

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The location where three people were swept out to sea on Tuesday evening off the coast of west Cork. Map: Irish Times Studio

Ms O'Connell was found by the Baltimore RNLI all weather boat, the Alan Massey, some 30 metres from shore around 6.50pm and Barry Davis was found nearby by the RNLI Baltimore inshore boat.

CPR was performed on both for over 30 minutes before they were pronounced dead by a local GP.

Meanwhile a team of local divers carried out a search for the missing man, Barry Davis Ryan until around 10pm when, due to fading visibility, the search was called off for the night.

According to Commander Eric Timon of the Naval Service, the dive team under Lt Commander O’Regan carried out three dives this morning in conjunction with the local dive team.

"They have done three dives so far in the Eastern Hole Bay area to a depth of 20 metres and will carry out three more dives there this afternoon " Commander Timon told The Irish Times.

According to Commander Timon, a south westerly swell has reduced visibility to one to two metres but the divers are working in pairs and carrying out an intensive search of the area.

The Alan Massey is aiding in the search as is the Baltimore RNLI inshore boat and the Schull Community Rescue Boat .

Meanwhile the Irish Coastguard helicopter Rescue 117 from Waterford carried out a number of sweeps of the area this morning where sea conditions are generally regarded as good.

Members of the Irish Coastguard Cliff and Coastal units from Toe Head, Glandore and Goleen were carrying out searches of the shore while other members were monitoring the sea with binoculars.

According to Kieran Cotter, Cox of the Alan Massey, the lifeboat received a call from the Irish Coastguard Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Valentia Island around 6.40pm.

They launched and were at the scene by 6.48pm and had both casualties on board the Alan Massey by 6.50pm before setting course back to the lifeboat station at Bull Point in Baltimore Harbour.

It is understood Ms O’Connor was first to be swept into the sea and when Mr Davis Ryan went to her assistance and got into difficulty, BarryRyan told his daughter Charlotte (13) to raise the alarm.

He then entered the water but he too got into difficulty as Charlotte made her way back to the Beacon where she met some tourists who gave her their mobile phone to raise the alarm.