Cliffs of Moher: Body found in search for boy, 12, who vanished at popular tourist attraction in Ireland while on family holiday

Gardaí (Irish police) and the coast guard have confirmed that a body was found on Sunday morning (28 July). A 12-year-old boy was reported missing from the area on Tuesday (23 July).

RTÉ reported that the boy had been holidaying in Ireland with his family from overseas and that the family were visiting the Cliffs of Moher when he became separated from them. A search operation by the Irish coast guard, Gardaí, and Irish civil defence volunteers involved the use of drones, boats, divers and a helicopter.

The search focused on the areas around the Cliffs of Moher, Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. On Sunday morning, a fishing vessel reported a sighting of a body at sea between Doolin and the Aran Islands to the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia.

Volunteers from the Doolin Coast Guard Unit boat team assisted by the Aran Islands RNLI located and recovered the body. RTÉ reported that the body will be brought to University Hospital Limerick, where official identification and a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

A Garda representative said the search for the boy has been stood down following the recovery of the body. “A file will now be prepared for the coroner,” it said. The Coast Guard extended it condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.