Samaritans busy as search continues for men in Slaney

THE Samaritans are to send additional volunteers to Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, as a search operation continues for three of the five young men drowned in the River Slaney during the last two weeks.

Counsellors will be available at the Riverside Park Hotel in the town on November 30 and December 1.

In all, six people have entered the Slaney since November 11 four in Enniscorthy and one each in Wexford and Bunclody.

Two bodies were recovered; a Latvian man was rescued.

The search operation for the remaining three men was hampered by flooding and poor visibility yesterday.

But search and rescue teams trawling 15 miles of the river for the men's remains say they will not be scaling down their operation.

Over 60 volunteers braved the flood waters in canoes, boats and vessels of all shapes and sizes as the search continued yesterday.

Harry O'Connor of the Slaney Sea and Rescue team said they were all still hopeful they could recover the remains of two men who fell into the waters in Enniscorthy and another who jumped to his death in Wexford town.

"We have not had any developments today. There's a torrent of flood water coming down the river at the moment and the conditions are terrible. But we plan to stick with our search to the bitter end. We are a voluntary group so there's no question of the search being scaled down or anything."

Improved weather conditions forecast for the coming days should make the trawl a lot easier, he said.

The spring tides should also ease off, smoothing out conditions and making the search a lot easier.

And while one of the missing men is believed to be in the water for over a week and a half, Mr O Connor said it was not uncommon for remains not to be retrieved for such a time. Nobody will be getting worried for at least another week, he said.

Meanwhile, the South Eastern Health Board said there has been a good response to the helpline it set up in the wake of the tragic deaths.

It remains open from 10am to 3pm and from 7pm to midnight daily for the rest of this week and all of next week.

Helpline Numbers: Men's Aid [phone]; Aware [phone]; Health Board helpline 1800-455-120; Samaritans: 1850 609 090