Irish join search for relatives

THE brother and cousin of a young Irishman not heard from since the catastrophic tsunami were among those who arrived in Thailand at the weekend to search for loved ones.

Michael Murphy, 23, from Ballyconnigar, Co Wexford, had been travelling in Australia and Asia since graduating with a degree in Nautical Science from Cork Institute of Technology a year ago.

He had recently left a job in Sydney to explore Thailand and phoned home on Christmas Day to let them know he was on his way to the island of Ko Pha Ngan.

That was the last time he spoke to his father, Michael, a builder; mother Theresa, and three younger brothers and sister, who have been joined in their agonising wait for news by a village sick with worry for the popular young man.

His brother, Paul, a year younger than him, and their close friend and cousin, Michael O’Donnell, have now travelled to Thailand to try to find Michael who was described as “full of life and adventure”.

“The family are devastated and the whole community feels for them,” said a neighbour. “It’s an awful trip for two young lads to have to make. All we can do is hope for the best.”

Relatives of Killiney, Co Dublin woman, Lucy Coyle, 27, and her English boyfriend, Sean Sweetman, have also arrived in Thailand to help search for the couple, joining Dubliner Barry Murphy, 29, who has been looking for his girlfriend, Eilis Finnegan, 27, missing since the two were split up when the waves engulfed them.

It is still not clear how many Irish are officially missing in the region. There are around 20 people whose safety has not been fully confirmed but the Department of Foreign Affairs said last night it had serious concerns for a “small number” within that group, thought to be about half a dozen.