After searching through thousands of bodies, man finds girlfriend’s body
The Department of Foreign Affairs last night confirmed the body of Dublin woman Eilís Finnegan, the first Irish victim of the tsunami disaster, had been positively identified.
The 27-year-old former flight attendant from Ballyfermot, was on holiday with her boyfriend on Phi Phi Island. The couple had arrived just 40 minutes before the first tsunami struck.
Ms Finnegan’s boyfriend, Barry Murphy, had been searching since the day of the Asian disaster. He was soon joined by members of the dead woman’s immediate family who undertook the grim task of viewing thousands of bodies, many of them rapidly decomposing in the tropical sun.
Mr Murphy was last night reported to have been deeply shocked by the discovery, but unlike the many thousands of other families affected the Finnegans have at least found the remains of a loved one.
“The family wish to thank the friends of Eilís and of the family, Department of Foreign Affairs, the Ambassador Dan Mulhall and his staff, who have been very supportive and helpful throughout this difficult time, members of the Garda Síochána, and everyone who assisted the family in any way in the past week,” the Finnegan family said in a statement last night.
“The family wish to express their sincerest appreciation and thanks to Barry and his family for his tireless efforts to re-unite Eilís with us. We would also like to thank Barry’s family for all their tremendous efforts and support,” they said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern extended his condolences to the family, saying: “I want to extend, on my own behalf and that of the Government, my most sincere condolences to Eilís’s family and to her boyfriend, Barry Murphy. This announcement brings an end to a terrible period of uncertainty and worry for the Finnegans and for Eilís’s many close friends.”
Meanwhile, Irish soldiers will be sent to assist with the tsunami disaster relief operation if their help is requested, the Government pledged last night.
A senior member of the defence forces will join Department of Foreign Affairs officials and a medical expert flying to Thailand this Friday to carry out a needs assessment. Their findings will influence any decision to deploy Irish troops.
The view had been expressed that Ireland would have to await a mandate from the United Nations before considering such action but Mr Ahern conceded last night this was not the case.
Mr Ahern made his remarks after he and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern met representatives of 16 aid agencies at Government Buildings.
He said afterwards the Government’s contribution of €10 million was not necessarily a final figure. “We will keep the question of funding totally open. We have available money if it is required,” he said.
Aid agencies welcomed the Government’s announcements on troops and funding but stressed the need for a long-term commitment to the relief effort. “The rank and file Irish people have done the ground work,” said Goal boss John O’Shea. “It’s a Government issue now - it’s up to them to follow through on what the public have shown they want them to do.”
The minister is to attend a meeting of European Union foreign, health and development aid ministers in Brussels this Friday to discuss a joint EU response to the crisis.
The number of Irish people feared dead in the disaster remained at three last night, but the number of people categorised as at medium risk because their safety had not been 100% confirmed was revised downwards from 17 to 13.
A garda forensics expert is to travel to Thailand to assist families searching for missing loved ones.
