A major search operation is underway in West Cork for a missing fisherman .

The alarm was raised at 7.30 yesterday evening when the man in his 60s failed to return to port in Schull from a fishing trip.

The search is concentrated in the Long Island Bay area following the discovery of the man's punt there around 8.30 last night.

It involves the Baltimore and Schull RNLI lifeboats, the Irish Coastguard search and rescue helicopter and a Naval Service vessel.