Latest: Coffin with Mark Duffy's body driven from Blacksod pier draped in Tricolour
Gardaí have confirmed the body recovered from the wreckage of Irish Coast Guard helicopter R116 this morning is that of Captain Mark Duffy.
The body has been positively identified, garda superintendent Tony Healy said.
The body, which was recovered from the cockpit of the helicopter, has now been removed to Mayo Hospital. A post-mortem will be conducted by the State Pathologist tomorrow.
The search operation for the two other missing crew members is continuing. Work to bring the Helicopter to shore is also continuing.
Navy divers have escorted the crewman's body to the pier in Blacksod.
Hearse carrying the body of Rescue 116 crew member leaves Blacksod pier pic.twitter.com/dXOxXgHAne
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 26, 2017
A white tent was erected to allow a doctor to examine the body before it was transferred to a hearse.
The coffin, draped in the Irish flag, was driven off the pier with a lone piper leading the cortege.
Behind the hearse two lines of Irish Coast Guard staff and others involved in the search and recovery over the last 12 days formed a guard of honour.
A few miles away in the village of Aghleam scores of local parents and children gathered at the roadside to pay their respects.
A post-mortem is to take place in Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar. The search continues for the bodies of the two remaining crew.
A body has been removed from Rescue 116 off the Coast of Mayo.
The remains are being returned to shore by the LE Samuel Beckett this afternoon.
The crewman's family has been informed and formally identification is expected to take place shortly.
The helicopter remains on the ocean floor 40 metres below sea level.
R115 shepherded the LÉ Samuel Beckett into Blacksod this afternoon, as she brought one of R116 crew members back to shore. pic.twitter.com/c5MnfKOlwQ
— Pat McGrath (@patmcgrath) March 26, 2017
The search is continuing for two other members of the coast guard crew.
Declan Geoghan, Manager of the Irish Coat Guard, said: "At about 10 o'clock the dive team commenced the initial dive and thankfully recovered our colleague from the wreckage.
"Hopefully we'll be able to now, the remains will be taken ashore for a formal identification by An Garda Síochána and subsequently will be transferred to Castlebar."
Dive teams have been able to enter the water off the coast of Mayo today as the recovery effort for Rescue 116 continues.
A remotely operated vehicle has spent the night clearing debris around the crash site at Blackrock Island.
It is hoped divers will be able to bring the body of a crewman to the surface this afternoon as weather in the area remains calm.
The search is continuing for two other members of the coast guard crew.
Efforts are underway again this morning to try to recover the body of a crewman from the wreckage of Rescue 116.
It is hoped a high sea swell will die down today, to allow dive teams to enter the water again.
The remotely operated vehicle continued exploratory work late into last night in preparation for this morning.
Irish Coastguard Manager Declan Geoghegan outlines the plans for today.
"So the surface search of course will continue, and the shore search will continue.
"Hopefully with the reduction in swell it will be possible, with the aid of the work that's being done with the ROV, to get a dive team down and hopefully get our colleague to the surface," he said.
