Tributes are pouring in for an off-duty garda who died in a diving incident off Hook Head yesterday.

Garda Dave Hearne was originally from Wexford but stationed in Waterford.

It’s believed that the father of four, who was a former member of the Garda Water Unit, got into difficulty when coming to the surface while diving with a local sub aqua club.

Gardaí and the Coastguard were called at around noon to the incident which occurred 15 nautical miles from Hook Head.

Waterford Superintendent Chris Delaney spoke to WLR’s Damien Tiernan.

“Dave was a highly valued and special officer,” he said. “On a day like this it’s important to remember his family, his wife Barbara, his four children Dylan, Noah, Toby and Libby.”