Swiss tourist's body found in Lough

The body of his wife, Ruth, was discovered by fishermen on Monday evening near Lecarrow on the Shannon.

It was believed the couple suffered some type of boating accident as they sailed the waters they had been travelling every year for around three decades.

The boat belonging to the couple, who were experts on the Shannon waterway system, was located on Tuesday near Inchmore island with its engine still running and the cruiser’s tender, or small boat, unattached.

Another cruiser, which was out on the Shannon, discovered Mr Borner’s body in the middle of the lake near Nun’s Island around midday today.

A post mortem exam was being carried out by assistant State Pathologist, Dr Declan Gilsenan, at Mullingar Hospital, Co Westmeath this evening.

The post mortem on Mrs Borner, who was in her 60s, showed her death was caused by hypothermia.

The body of the tourist was recovered in shallow waters with a life buoy nearby and the small boat was also later located.

It was believed she may have been clinging to the life buoy in the waters for some time before she was overcome by the cold.

The large search team, which consisted of local gardaí, residents, the force’s sub-aqua team from Athlone and helicopter flyovers, had been searching Ireland’s fourth-largest lake since Tuesday.

The investigation, headed by Superintendent Mark Curran of Roscommon Garda Station, contacted the couple’s family through Interpol and relatives are believed to be travelling to Athlone today.

Gardaí said it appeared the couple had some sort of boating accident as they headed northwards along the River Shannon towards Carrick-on-Shannon.

The couple were last seen as they headed up the Shannon from Athlone on Sunday and the weather conditions on the lake were bad that time.

It is believed they were due to return home on Tuesday night.