Rescuers searching for a missing fisherman have recovered a man from the water off the coast of Galway.

The man was taken to University Hospital Galway, where his condition is described as critical.

An air and sea search had been launched at around 3.30pm after a local fisherman came across an empty fishing boat whose engine was still running.

The search began to the south of the bay and moved north in the last two hours.

The operation involved RNLI lifeboats from Galway and the Aran Islands, the Irish Coastguard helicopter and local boats.

The Aran Islands lifeboat recovered the man around a mile west of Blackrock, off Salthill.