Kayaker’s family tell of heartbreak as search goes on

The family of a young father who went missing while kayaking near his home five days ago have said it is impossible to find words to describe the dreadful sense of loss they are experiencing.

As the frantic search for 38-year-old Neilus O’Connor enters its fifth day, devastated relatives have conceded that the best they can now hope for is that his body will be returned to them. “We are absolutely heartbroken. We can’t find the right words to say exactly how we feel,” his uncle, Michael O’Connor, said yesterday.

“You see this happening to other people on television but when it comes to your own doorstep you don’t know what to do or say. Hopefully, we can bring his body back and give him a proper send-off.”