Nine months before fire probe results known

THE exact details that led to the deaths of three men in Monday’s West Cork pleasure cruiser blaze are unlikely to be known until spring next year at the earliest.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board has confirmed that a nine-month deadline has been placed on its report into the fatal boat incident at Bantry Bay, which began yesterday when an unnamed inspector was appointed to the case.

A spokesman for the expert group explained that in line with common practice no finalised conclusions will be published until at least May next year in order to ensure all aspects of the tragedy are fully examined.