RIP: Efforts underway to identify body recovered by fishing vessel off Irish coast

Efforts are underway to establish the identity of a body which was recovered at sea off the Irish coast.

Gardaí have confirmed they were alerted to the grim discovery off the Waterford coastline shortly after 9am on Thursday.

The body, believed to be that of a man, was found by a French trawler around 12 nautical miles (22 kms) southeast of Mine Head in Old Parish. 

RTÉ News has reported that fishermen on board the vessel found the body in their nets following a first haul and that initial indications suggest the body may have been in the water for some time.

Gardai say after the body was recovered from the water, it was brought ashore at Ballycotton in County Cork at around 12.30pm on Thursday.

"The Coroner has been notified and the body has been transferred to Cork University Hospital, where a post-mortem examination will take place in due course. The results of the examination will determine the course of the garda investigation," said a spokesperson.

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It is understood, the initial focus of the garda investigations will be to establish the identity of the deceased.