Spring tides off Blackrock island in Co Mayo are continuing to complicate efforts to partially lift the wreckage of a Coast Guard rescue helicopter from the sea bed.
Agencies involved in the search for two missing Coast Guard crew members are meeting to review the operation this morning.
Attempts to use a lifting bag to tilt the wreckage of the Rescue 116 helicopter last evening had to be abandoned after conditions proved too challenging.
The LÉ Samuel Beckett and the Irish Lights Vessel, Granuaile, returned to Blacksod Bay last night and remain there this morning.
Currents in the site where the wreckage is located, 40 metres below sea level, mean it is difficult for divers to safely access the aircraft.
The conditions have also compromised the ability of a Remotely Operated Vehicle to operate to its full potential.
Sea conditions are expected to prove challenging for a number of days. The latest forecast says they will be moderate to rough today and rough tomorrow.
All aspects of the search are under constant review but it could be the weekend, before a suitable window of opportunity opens.
With the search for Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith now in its 16th day, the Shannon based rescue helicopter is carrying out an aerial survey of Donegal Bay this morning.
