Surfer stranded in the Irish Sea for more than 30 hours found alive

A surfer who was missing for more than 30 hours in the Irish Sea has been found by the coastguard.

It was good news today, as the man who went missing off the coast of Northern Ireland this weekend was found by the Belfast Coastguard. After an extensive search yesterday, the man was found alive around 7.30pm and was flown to a Belfast hospital. Rescue workers believe the man was surfing at a beach near Campbeltown in Scotland when he got caught up in the strong current, carrying him further into the Irish Sea.

This is the moment that surfer Matthew Bryce was rescued after 32 hours at sea https://t.co/0EjM3dwz5C pic.twitter.com/RpMM9jwLvu

— BBC Newsbeat (@BBCNewsbeat) May 2, 2017

The man is now being treated for hypothermia in hospital, but is said to have been lucky to survive.

“Hope of finding the surfer safe was fading and after such a long period in the water and with nightfall approaching, we were gravely concerned,” said Dawn Petrie of the Belfast Coastguard in a statement. “However, at 7.30pm tonight, the crew were delighted when they located the man still with his surf board, 13 miles off the coast. “He was kitted out with all the right clothing including a thick neoprene suit, and this must have helped him to survive for so long at sea. He is hypothermic but conscious and has been flown to hospital in Belfast.”