Divers recover body of missing Polish man

A body has been recovered by navy divers searching for a Polish man and his teenage son who vanished while fishing on Sunday.

The remains, believed to be 40-year-old Piotr Latek, were pulled from the water off Cod’s Head in west Cork shortly before 11am.

A navy spokesman said the team was continuing to search for his 13-year-old son, Matthias.

Elsewhere, a Kerry fishing community was plunged into mourning when a well-respected fisherman drowned in Tralee Bay.

The victim, who was in his 40s, was working with one other man when he fell overboard about seven miles off Fenit at 9am.

Gerard O’Donnell, operations of Fenit RNLI, said the man inhaled a lot of water despite being pulled from the sea immediately.

Attempts to resuscitate him on the vessel and again at Fenit Harbour were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Tralee General Hospital.

“Everyone is devastated, they are in shock,” said Mr O’Donnell.

“He was a very well-respected member of the local fishing community, working on trawlers all his life.

“He went overboard and was pulled back in immediately. He was only in the water for a very short space of time but unfortunately he took in a lot of water.

“It is a grave tragedy.

“Our thoughts are with his family and his crew members at this sad time.”

In west Cork, hopes of finding teenager Matthias Latek alive faded after the discovery of his father’s body.

The pair were reported missing yesterday when they failed to meet Mr Latek’s father, who had flown in for a holiday.

Gardaí later found Mr Latek’s car, a black Nissan Micra, parked at Coominches, about half a mile from Cod’s Head, between Allihies and Eyries.

A search of the rugged coastline also recovered two fishing rods, a bag and clothing belonging to the pair.

Mr Latek, 40, was living in Kenmare, Co Kerry, and had worked in a bakery for the last two years.

On Sunday he told friends he was taking his son, who was on holiday from Poland, on a fishing trip.

Rescuers fear the pair were both swept from the rocks at Cod’s Head in high winds and sea conditions on Sunday afternoon.

The rocky terrain is up to 20 feet above sea level.

Lifeboat and coastguard vessels from Castletownbere, and the Derrynane Inshore Rescue Service, are involved in the sea and coastline search.