Union Hall search to intensify for the weekend

The massive sea and shore search for two lost fishermen will intensify this weekend before being scaled back next week.

Up to 40 civilian divers, with more volunteer Coast Guard and Civil Defence members as well as off-duty gardaí, are expected in Union Hall at the weekend in a push to recover the bodies of skipper Michael Hayes, 52, and crewman Saied Aly Eldin, 23.

They have been missing since Mr Hayes’s trawler, the Tit Bonhomme, sank after hitting Adam Island in Glandore Harbour early on January 15.

Despite bitter cold, and driving hail, sleet and snow in the harbour early yesterday, the weather improved for day 12 of the search with a light north-westerly breeze, good visibility and a gentle swell.

The Waterford-based Coast Guard helicopter swept the harbour but recent stormy weather stirred silt and reduced underwater visibility.

Naval service, Garda and civilian divers searched but found nothing.

Images from the Mallow search and rescue unit’s side-scanning sonar were examined last night and will direct today’s dives, when naval divers hope to examine the wreck.

Coast Guard units from Cork, backed by four teams from Limerick, scoured the coastline west of Glandore towards Blind Harbour.

Niall Twomey, the Civil Defence officer for Cork West, said it was important to have large numbers of specialist search teams on the ground. Garda search teams focused on coastline east towards Tralong Bay. Two local fishing vessels, 11 ribs and several other local boats combed the harbour.

Charlie Keohane, from Skibbereen, joined civil defence search teams and said people will keep looking until the bodies are found.

The navy, which is co-ordinating dives and sea searches from the LÉ Orla, said it would stay in Glandore as long as the Coast Guard required assistance.

Coast Guard incident manager Hugh Barry said his volunteers would also remain in Union Hall until early next week before the situation is reassessed.

It is expected naval resources will be scaled back first. Mr Barry said Coast Guard units would continue with low-water searches until Sunday week, 21 days after the trawler sank.

Several women, led by Natalie and Pamela Deasy, are still serving up soup, sandwiches, stew, chilli and curry to searchers from the food tent on the pier.

Food deliveries arrived from local businesses, including Fuller’s Centra in Union Hall, Fields SuperValu in Skibbereen, and Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty, with hotels on standby to help feed the volunteers due this weekend.

Meanwhile, Saied Aly Eldin’s father, Mohammed, said he still had hope his son would be found.

“I still pray. I still hope that we will find them all.”

His brother, Kamel Aly Eldin, said Mohammed was finding it difficult to eat while the search continued.

“My brother’s wife, Saied’s mother, Aziza, prayed on the shore of the harbour,” Kamel said. “She faced the island [Adam] and said: ‘Saied, come back to me please, I love you’.

“It is because Egyptians believe that those missing at sea can hear the call of the mother from their heart.”