Gardaí treating death of Fermoy sailor who fell into sea as accident

GARDAÍ are treating as a tragic accident the death of a 34-year-old member of the Irish Navy who fell into the sea at Schull, West Cork, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Father-of-five Robert O’Keeffe, a native of Fermoy, Co Cork, but living in Doneraile, north Cork, was among a number of sailors on shore leave from the LE Aisling in the town on Saturday night.

The LE Aisling had been on routine fishery patrol duty off the south-west coast on Saturday.

When the Naval personnel returned to the LE Aisling shortly after 2.30am yesterday, it was discovered that the sailor was not on board. The alarm was raised when Mr O’Keeffe failed to return at the agreed hour.

The sailors returned to Schull, where the body of the Leading Seaman was found in the water by the quayside. Members of the Naval Service recovered the body and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body was brought to Bantry General Hospital and has since been taken to Cork University Hospital, where a postmortem was due to take place yesterday. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman for the Naval Service described the death as a “tragic accident”. It will be investigated by gardaí and by Naval Service Military Police.

It will also be the subject of an internal naval investigation. Gardaí have examined the scene and are treating the death as an accident.

Mr O’Keeffe lived in Doneraile with his partner Máire and five children.

It is understood that Naval personnel initially launched under the mistaken belief that Mr O’Keeffe was probably waiting to be collected by the quayside. However, instead his co-workers found his body floating in the water.

Mr O’Keeffe was said to have been a popular and friendly man who was well respected by his colleagues. Prayers were offered at masses in North and West Cork yesterday.

The LE Aisling’s homeport is Haulbowline in Cork harbour.

Members of the Naval Service are expected to provide a guard of honour at Mr O’Keeffe’s funeral.

Funeral arrangements are as yet to be finalised. However, a Requiem Mass is expected to take place later this week.