Man falls to his death from famous Irish cliffs while taking selfie

Visitors frequently warned about unstable cliff edge at landmark Cliffs of Moher

The accident happened while the man was trying to take a selfie of the famous Cliffs of Moher (iStock)

A student has died after falling more than 120m from cliffs in Ireland while trying to take a selfie at a famous beauty spot.

The man, who was in his 20s, was seen falling from the edge at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare on Friday afternoon.

The man's body was later recovered by an Irish Coastguard crew based at Doolin. His remains were taken to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination.

A police spokesman said: “There is nothing to suggest at this stage that this was anything other than a tragic accident.

“Initial indications are, having taken statements from a number of people, is that the victim was taking a selfie and lost his footing.”

The towering cliffs, which rise at their highest point 214m above the sea, are a famous tourist spot and the clifftop path which winds along the edge was packed with visitors when the man fell.

Nearly 1.5m people visited the cliffs in 2016, making them one of Ireland’s most popular attractions.

The Irish Times reported numerous warnings been issued since the Cliffs of Moher Coast Walk was formally opened as a tourist amenity in 2013.

Visitors have been told not to leave the official trail as the edge of the cliffs are known to be unstable and rock falls are common.

In 2007 a Hungarian tourist fell to his death from the cliffs while he was taking photos.

While he has not yet been named, it is understood the man who died on Friday was a foreign national who was living in Dublin while studying at university.