The body of a man has been recovered in West Cork after a search was launched last night and this morning for a missing rock climber.

His body has since been removed from the scene.

The local Coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

Gardaí have confirmed that the search for the missing man in Baltimore resumed at first light this morning.

The alarm was raised by the Italian man’s girlfriend shortly before 8.30pm on Thursday night.

It is understood that the 27-year-old man had gone climbing in an area known as Fox’s Cliff at the Eastern Hole, just east of the Beacon.