Two bodies were recovered in separate coastal locations in Northern Ireland on Sunday.
08:17, 18 May 2026Updated 10:16, 18 May 2026
The body was discovered on Whiterocks Beach in Portrush(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The body of a serving police officer was discovered on a popular north coast beach on Sunday, the PSNI has confirmed.
The remains of the man, understood to have been a detective inspector, were found at Whiterocks Beach outside Portrush, Co Antrim.
Emergency services were called to the scene at Whiterocks Beach on Sunday where cordons were in place with the public asked to avoid the area.
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His was one of two bodies recovered in separate coastal locations in Northern Ireland on Sunday after a separate incident near Rostrevor, Co Down.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a man whose body was located on the beach in Whiterocks on Sunday, 17th May.
“A post mortem examination will be carried out to establish the cause of the death, which is not believed to be suspicious.”
Following the discovery on the North Coast, the deputy mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council appealed for privacy for the family.
Alderman Richard Brown Stewart expressed his sadness and praised the work of the emergency services.
He said: “My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and loved ones of the deceased at what will be an incredibly difficult and distressing time for them. “I also want to pay tribute to the emergency services and all those involved in responding to the incident with professionalism, dignity and care. I would ask people to respect the privacy of the family as investigations continue.”
Separately PSNI officers responded to a report of a man’s body in the water in Kilbroney Park on the Shore Road in in Rostrevor at around 8.45am on Sunday.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “A post-mortem examination will take place in due course,” but added, “the death is not being treated as suspicious.”
South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe described it as “incredibly sad news”, adding: “My thoughts and prayers are with the family friends of this man as well as with those who discovered him and the emergency services who attended.”
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