An Irishman who fell overboard while sailing in the Long Island sound has died.

The man, Eoin Curran, 30, was from Templeogue.

Police in Larchmont, New York, were actively searching for the missing Irish man, after Sunday's torrential storm hit his boat knocking him overboard.

Sgt. Rudy Rodriguez of the New Rochelle police department's Marine Unit said the man was on a 23-foot sailboat learning to sail with two other students and his instructor when the storm blew the boat on its side, pushing the Irishman and his instructor into the water.

After minutes in the water the sailing instructor made it back into the boat and immediately threw a flotation device to the victim but the storm separated him from the boat eventually disappearing from sight.

"The mission to find the man is no longer considered a rescue," Rodriguez said.

Police said the man was not wearing a life jacket at the time he hit the water.

The Coast Guard searched the water all night with small boats assisted by the New Rochelle Marine Unit.

On Monday, a helicopter was brought in from Atlantic City to help with the search.  Sunday night, the search extended up to Rye, Rodriguez said.

"Today (Monday) searchers are going east from the New Rochelle municipal marina."

Other passengers on the boat were not injured. None of the students knew each other. They had just met for the first time on Sunday morning at the sailing school in New Rochelle.

Rodriguez said the man is believed to have lived in New York City.