Updated 12.48pm

Brian Gubbins is on the left-hand side in photo.

A BODY HAS been found in the search for missing student Brian Gubbins (19), who was last seen in Galway just after midnight on Thursday.

Gardaí confirmed that a body was found at 10am today in the water at Bridge St in Galway.

A post-mortem will take place on the body and an investigation will take place into the circumstances of the young man’s death.

Messages of support and sadness have been expressed after the news broke:

My thoughts & prayers today are with the Gubbins family. RIP Brian. Thanks to his friends & neighbours from Nenagh who took part in search. — Alan Kelly TD (@alankellylabour) February 15, 2015 Source: Min Alan Kelly TD /Twitter

Brian is a student at the University of Limerick and his friends say he was last seen at around 12.15am, after a night out on Thursday night.

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The journalism and new media student is originally from Nenagh.

Friends said Brian went on a mystery tour with college mates to Carbon nightclub in Galway on Thursday, but did not get the bus home.

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Gardaí said they had received a missing persons report for Brian.

A search began this morning for the student in Galway, with searchers meeting at 9am at Mill Street Garda Station in the city centre.

A Twitter account has been set up to share news about the search for Brian: @HelpFindBrian