An off-duty garda has died after getting into difficulty while diving off Wexford's Hook Head.

The father-of-four, aged in his forties, was part of a team diving a wreck not far from the Saltee Islands this morning.

He was recovered from the water after a major alert was raised shortly after noon today.

The Waterford based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117, the RNLI Lifeboat from Kilmore Quay and the LÉ Orla Navy Patrol Boat all responded.

He was treated by colleagues at the scene and airlifted to University Hospital Waterford where he has since been pronounced dead.

All divers in the group have now been accounted for and the operation has been stood down.

LÉ ORLA #P41 currently engaged in SAR Operations with @IrishCoastGuard off the South Coast. pic.twitter.com/V6nMzpISEO

— Irish Naval Service (@naval_service) May 25, 2019

Reporting from Teena Gates