Two life rafts found in search for missing trawler crew

Rescuers searching for the missing crew of a sunken trawler off the Wexford coast have found two empty life rafts from the vessel this morning.

The rafts were found floating off the coast near Hook Head, further dashing hopes that the crew of the Pierre Charles may have survived last night's sinking.

Other equipment from the sunken vessel has also been recovered in the area.

A major search is still underway for the five men who were on board the Dunmore East-based vessel, which sank in heavy seas three miles from Hook Head at around 6pm.

Local sources have named the skipper as Thomas Hennessy, a married father of two girls who is in his 30s and originally from Kerry.

His uncle, Pat Hennessy, who is in his 50s and also from Kerry, was on board with him, along with married father Billy O'Connor and 27-year-old father-of-one Pat Coady, originally from Duncormack in Wexford.

The fifth crewman is Ukrainian man Andriy Dyran.

The search for the missing men involves lifeboats, coastguard helicopters and a number of local fishing vessels, but is being hampered by bad weather.

Navy divers are also on standby to search the seabed if the weather improves.