The inquest into the drowning of diver Ann Howard has heard how she disappeared only feet from the safety of rocks off Arranmore Island.

The Irish Times reports that Howard, 41, was part of a team of eight divers from Manchester on an excursion at the popular Paradise Cavern dive site on 9 May 2008.

Howard and her 'dive buddy' Lee Harvey became separated from the rest of the group and were unable to locate them due to strong surface currents. When the pair got into difficulties, Harvey managed to scramble onto rocks and attract attention of passing boats. But when he returned to the water, Howard has disappeared.

Following an unsuccessful Coast Guard search, a Garda dive team found Howard's body 22 metres below on the seabed the following morning, close to where she had been last seen. Pathologist Dr Katriona Dillon found that her death was due to drowning.

Howard, from Ashton-under-Lyne, had 10 years' experience as a SCUBA diver, and according to her boyfriend had been familiar with her equipment used since 2002.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.