Body of missing woman found in submerged car

THE body a missing woman was recovered yesterday from her submerged car at a harbour in West Cork.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Cork City were last night waiting to get a positive identification on the body of another woman whose remains were taken from the River Lee near Patrick’s Bridge.

Gardaí confirmed last night that the body taken from a car at Courtmacsherry harbour was that of Jean Collins.

Ms Collins, aged 43, was reported missing from her home in the Cork suburb of Togher on November 12.

She drove away from her house in her red Opel Astra, and took her two pedigree fox terriers with her.

The car was spotted submerged in the harbour on Thursday, but because of tides it wasn’t lifted until yesterday.

Meanwhile, divers recovered the body of a woman from the River Lee in Cork City centre shortly before 2pm yesterday. The body of the woman was taken away for a post mortem.

Earlier in the week an appeal had been made by the family of another missing woman for the public’s help in tracing her whereabouts.

Patricia Dorney, a 37-year-old from Riverstick, Co Cork, was last seen on November 4 when she walked out of Cork University Hospital. She had voluntarily booked herself into the hospital after suffering from depression.

When the mother-of-three left the hospital at 8pm that day she was wearing purple jeans, a peach top and white cardigan. She was also wearing her slippers. A spokesperson for the hospital said voluntary patients could leave the hospital at any time they wished.

Hundreds of people, including family friends, gardaí and members of the Civil Defence, have been involved in searches for her.