Contact was lost with one of the Search and Rescue helicopters just before one o'clock this morning and a major sea search is ongoing off the county Mayo coast, about six miles west of Blacksod.
Search and Rescue helicopters from Sligo and Shannon are attending, along with the Air Corps Casa aircraft.
Lifeboats and fishing vessels are also involved.
Ger Hegarty is the Divisional controller at the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre – he says there was no indication that the helicopter had run into difficulty.
