Skipper’s widow: Inquest was second hardest day

The widow of the skipper of the ill-fated Tit Bonhomme said yesterday was second hardest day of her life, as a jury at the inquest into the deaths of five crew on the fishing trawler returned verdicts of accidental death.

Kathleen Hayes made a statement in Cork County Coroner’s Court after the verdicts were returned by the jury. Her husband Michael Hayes, 21-year-old Kevin Kershaw, and Egyptian crewmen Saied Ali Eldin, Wael Mohamed, and Attaia Shaban all died when the Tit Bonhomme ran aground at Adam’s Island in Glandore Harbour on Jan 15 last year.

The inquest had earlier heard that the boat had made a significant change of course just six minutes before it grounded, with one expert witness claiming the change of course required “human input”.