Fears grow for safety of lost fisherman

FEARS are growing for the safety of a 42-year-old fisherman whose overturned boat and fishing rod were found washed up along the Wexford coastline yesterday.

Fish processor Ronnie O’Connor had been out at sea with one of his brothers on Sunday. He returned to shore with his brother late in the afternoon. But Mr O’Connor, who lives with his partner in Killag, returned to sea off Cullenstown to continue fishing.

He had arranged that his partner Geraldine Culleton would pick him up at 10.30pm on Sunday. When he failed to return, she raised the alarm.

Divers from Wexford and Kilkenny and a helicopter team from Waterford joined search and rescue teams from Kilmore Quay and Rosslare yesterday and combed the area around Cullenstown, eight miles west of Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford.

Mr O’Connor’s 16-foot row boat was found close to the shoreline yesterday morning.

“He fished with me out on the trawlers for years,” said search co-ordinator Joe Maddock of the Kilmore Quay Lifeboat Station. “He’s very well-known. He was out with his brother and made contact to be collected at 10.30pm. Geraldine raised the alarm when he failed to return.”

A major swell was reported in the area from where he disappeared and a fog had developed over the area yesterday evening. The experienced former fisherman is working with Wrights, a fish processing factory in Kilmore Quay.

Staff at the company were helping in the search yesterday. “We’re devastated,” a work colleague said. “He was a fantastic worker and worked in every end of this business.”

Local priest, Fr Jim Cogley, says every time there’s a tragedy at sea, it conjures up very difficult memories for the many locals who have lost family at sea. “This search brings up all the tragedies of the past.

“Two men were lost a few years ago when they were run over by a French trawler. And there have been many more lives lost. We’re all praying for them,” the curate said.