The search for a young boy who went missing near the Cliffs of Moher is set to resume this afternoon after being halted due to poor weather conditions.

Emergency services have been tirelessly searching for the boy since he was reported missing on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 23. The operation involves multiple agencies, including the Coast Guard, Gardaí, the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115, and the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat, all working together in a coordinated land, air, and sea search effort.

The boy was reportedly separated from his family near the Cliffs of Moher, prompting his family to raise the alarm at the nearby visitor centre. Despite challenging conditions, the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter managed to spot what appeared to be a body in the water. However, the rough seas made it impossible to conduct a closer inspection.

An Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat launched a Y-class inflatable boat to the location, and together with the Coast Guard boat crew, they conducted a risk assessment. Unfortunately, the conditions were deemed too hazardous to attempt a recovery operation, leading to the suspension of the search on Wednesday evening.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána provided an update on Thursday morning, stating: “Due to adverse weather conditions locally, the search operation for a young boy missing from the vicinity of the Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, will resume this afternoon, Thursday 25th July, 2024.”

The community and all involved agencies re