Body of missing U-boat wreck diver recovered
The name of the dead man was officially confirmed as Michael Hanrahan, 45, a father of four from Dublin, who died after getting into difficulties during a dive to examine the wreck of a German U-boat.
Mr Hanrahan worked with a contract painting firm and drove a taxi part-time, lived with his wife, Myra, and their four children, Stephen, Ian, Orlaigh and Aine at Glendohar Park in Rathfarnham.
Mr Hanrahan, who had 30 years’ experience in diving, was among a group of divers from the Dive North diving centre stationed at Malin Head who were making an underwater film of the sunken U-778 submarine.
Other members of the team reported that Mr Hanrahan appeared to suffer a seizure while they were exploring the wreck at about 6pm on Tuesday.
One of the divers, Paul Lewis, said: “Out of the blue, Mick just fell back onto the wreck and I think he had some sort of a seizure.”
Mr Hanrahan’s body was finally recovered yesterday morning before being brought ashore at the pier at Malin Head shortly after 11am yesterday.
The divers were working on a project on behalf of Derry City Council as part of the first stage of a bid to raise the 56-metre U-boat for display in a museum in the city.
The Second World War submarine, which never engaged in any military action, sank while being towed between Scotland and Ireland for scrapping.
Former Derry mayor Shaun Gallagher, who accompanied the divers to Malin Head, said: “He was a gentle giant and a lovely man. The boys down there did their best but unfortunately they used that much oxygen and energy trying to help him that they had to come up.”
It was the second fatal diving accident within a week in Irish waters. The body of sports diver, Gabriel “Texas” Ryan, originally from Tuam, Co Galway, was recovered last Monday from Killary Harbour, Co Galway, after he went missing the previous day during a dive with two friends.
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