Trawler’s state leaves relatives shocked
About 30 family members travelled from Dunmore East harbour to see the wreck of the 19m herring boat and returned pessimistic about the chances of the remains of any of the five fishermen being within it.
Substantial damage was evident after the Pere Charles was lifted, with much of the starboard side crushed and the wheelhouse all but destroyed.
The stricken trawler, which sank on January 10 two miles off Hook Head, is now being brought to Arklow for full inspection, after an initial brief examination failed to find any evidence of bodies on board.
Those lost were skipper Tom Hennessy, his uncle Pat Hennessy, and fellow crewmen Andry Dyrin, Pat Coady, and Billy O’Connor.
There were emotional scenes in Dunmore East yesterday evening as about 30 relatives of the crew were brought out to the wreck.
They said prayers at the site where the trawler was brought by the Dutch crane barge early yesterday before the lifting operation, and laid flowers above the boat.
Kelly Coady, sister of Pat Coady, said she was “totally shocked” by the condition of the boat, and said that their hopes of there being bodies on board were “shattered” when the families saw the boat.
John Doyle, father of Tom Hennessy’s fiancée Louise, described seeing the trawler as “a nightmare” and said it was like “a burnt-out hull”, such was the damage.
“We had been told it was badly damaged but nothing could have prepared us for what we saw.”
Julia Hennessy, mother of Tom Hennessy, said she was “saddened” and “disappointed” after seeing the vessel and the extent of the damage.
Coastguard spokesman David McMyler said yesterday that a decision had to be made by the salvage crew as to whether the Pere Charles should be brought to Arklow last night or today, weather permitting.
The journey is expected to take up to 16 hours, before the vessel is then given a full inspection on the quay. “The substantial search carried out by the Garda underwater unit will take place in Arklow,” said Mr McMyler.
The first sign of the Pere Charles above water came at about 1pm, when a few feet of it could be seen from the shore, but it had to be lowered again by the crane to allow the lifting slings to be readjusted by the divers. It then broke water again at about 2.40pm and was brought above its floating water line.
Work on pumping water from the boat then took just over two hours, while the relatives were taken from the harbour on three craft.
The salvage crew worked through Wednesday night to get the 19m vessel ready for lifting, after turning it upright on Wednesday afternoon.
The weather did the operation no favours as the sea swells increased through the morning and wind whipped in from the west, but the work was still able to proceed.
