Missing cruise girl’s family return home

THE grief-stricken family of the Irish teenager who disappeared overboard from a cruise liner last Thursday has arrived back in Ireland.

The parents of Lynsey O’Brien were back home in Terenure last evening along with her two sisters and younger brother for a tearful reunion with other family members and friends.

The 15-year-old transition year student from Loreto High School, Beaufort, Dublin fell overboard from the Costa Magica cruise ship off the coast of Mexico on January 5.

The tragic incident occurred on the fourth day of the O’Brien family’s Christmas holiday, which included a seven-day luxury cruise around the Caribbean.

Before returning to Ireland, Lynsey’s parents, Paul and Sandra, and their other three children, Kelly, Dean and Imelda, held a memorial service for her near the site where it is believed she fell overboard.

“They held a funeral service of sorts. All of them went out to the area and threw flowers into the water. It was a last tribute before they flew home,” said a family friend.

Meanwhile, helicopters and patrol boats belonging to the Mexican Navy and Coast Guard are continuing the search for the missing Irish girl.

However, the number of vessels involved in the operation has been scaled down over the course of the last few days.

In Dublin, all 600 students at Lynsey’s school joined in a prayer service for their missing friend when the Loreto High School reopened yesterday for the first time after the Christmas holidays.

Many of her classmates had already taken part in similar special services on Friday and Saturday when news of Lynsey’s disappearance first emerged.

“It has been a tough couple of days and will remain so,” said school principal, Liz Cogan. “All the girls have been extremely respectful and dignified but it has not been easy.”