Divers find ferry plunge car after nine months

NAVAL divers have recovered a Volkswagen Polo car which plunged off a cross-river ferry nine months ago, with the presumed loss of a man’s life.

The discovery was made shortly after 10.30am yesterday as divers were on a routine training session in Cork’s lower harbour.

They found the car on its roof, embedded in about 12 inches of silt.

It was located in 11 metres of water around 150 metres south of the cross-ferry pier at Rushbrooke, Cobh.

A Naval Service spokesman said after the divers had located the car they immediately notified gardaí and returned to their base at Haulbowline where they acquired lifting gear which was brought to the scene.

Despite numerous searches both of the harbour and coastline, no trace has ever been found of missing man, 28-year-old Krystian Mielnik.

Garda and navy divers repeatedly searched the harbour following the accident which occurred on March 8, 2009.

The Celtic Voyager marine research ship also gave assistance to the divers by using its sonar technology for a seabed search.

It is presumed Mr Mielnik, who came from the city of Koszalin, in north-western Poland, was drowned.

He was a passenger in a car that unexpectedly plunged off the ferry which, at the time, was in mid-channel between Rushbrooke and Carrigaloe.

The driver, a 32-year-old Polish man, was rescued by a local pensioner who rowed out to get him after hearing cries for help.

He was taken to Cork University Hospital where he was treated for hypothermia. After leaving hospital, he was arrested by gardaí on suspicion of reckless endangerment.

He was subsequently released without charge and a file is still being prepared for the DPP.

A Garda spokesman said the car would be taken for technical examination by PSV (Public Service Vehicle) officers to establish if it had a mechanical defect which could have led to the accident.