Ministers sympathy for drowning tragedy families

A Government minister visited Wexford today to express his sympathies to the families of those bereaved in the Rising Sun tragedy as the search went on for the captain of the ship and a diver killed during the search operation.

Marine Minister Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher also thanked the Coastguard and local volunteers for their selfless dedication during the week-long quest.

The search was continuing today for Pat Colfer, skipper of the sunken lobster boat who has been missing since last Tuesday, and experienced local diver Billy O’Connor, has been missing since Thursday evening.

Coastguard units from Carnsore Point, Rosslare, Fethard, Dunmore East & Kilmore Quay have been searching the inshore area, while civil defence units and local volunteers have been combing the shoreline.

At sea, the Kilmore Quay Lifeboat and the Fethard Lifeboat have been searching, accompanied by the Coastguard Helicopter.

The search is being co-ordinated by the Naval vessel, the LE Orla.

A number of local fishing vessels and numerous diving clubs are also assisting in the search.

A spokesman for the Department of Marine, Communications and Natural Resources said the Irish Lights vessel, the Granuaile, arrived at the scene this morning from Cork, carrying a team of 14 naval divers, a de-compression chamber, a remote operating vehicle and surface diving equipment.

“It has taken up position above the wreck of the Rising Sun which allowed the divers to investigate the wreck and the surrounding area,” he said.

“Unfortunately the dive was concluded without result. The Remote Operating Vehicle will now be used to examine a larger area around the wreck.”

Minister Gallagher, a native of Donegal, said his origins in a coastal county meant he was familiar with the pain and heartache such tragedies can have upon families and communities.

“My sympathies today lie with the grieving families and I want to assure them that every effort will be made to recover their loved ones and at least provide them with some measure of closure,” he said.

The authorities have stressed that if there is no positive conclusion to the search today, operations will resume at first light tomorrow.

Two of the crew of the Rising Sun were rescued last Tuesday night after the vessel capsized. Ian Tierney and Jimmy Myler were brought to Wexford General Hospital but Mr Myler died shortly afterwards.

Senior Irish Naval Service and Coastguard figures met the families of the two missing men this afternoon.

Commander of Fleet Operations at the Irish Naval Service, Eugene Ryan, and Irish Coastguard head, Captain Liam Kirwan, briefed them on the search following criticism by relatives that the one mile exclusion zone imposed by the Coastguard was frustrating local attempts to search for the men.

A spokesman for the Irish Naval Service said the intention was to assure the families that everything possible was being done to find the men.