'No human remains' in submerged Crosshaven car

Barry Coughlan, who has been missing since May 2004.

A car believed to belong to a man who went missing in 2004 was recovered from a river in Cork last night but no human remains were found inside.

Family and friends of Barry Coughlan, 23, who was last seen in Crosshaven, Co Cork, on May 1, 2004, must now wait for Garda forensic experts to examine the vehicle which was recovered from the bed of the Owenabue River, close to where he was last seen, to confirm whether or not it is his car.

Garda divers spent some time in the water yesterday investigating the car which was found resting on its roof, and buried deep in mud and silt, near the village’s Hugh Coveney Pier.

It was recovered by crane and removed to a Garda compound for forensic examination.

While gardaí have not commented on the detail of the discovery, it's understood that the car matches the make and model of Mr Coughlan’s rust-coloured Toyota Corolla hatchback, registration 98 C 18625, and that a partial registration match has been made.

Members of the Garda Water Unit arrive at Hugh Coveney Pier, Crosshaven, Co Cork, for the recovery of a vehicle found in the water. Picture: Larry Cummins

Mr Coughlan was last seen outside the former Moonduster Bar in Crosshaven between 1.30am and 2am on Saturday May 1. His car had been parked nearby.

Despite exhaustive searches of the river at the time, Mr Coughlan and his car were never found.

Members of Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery (CCMPSR) unit discovered a submerged car on Wednesday as they tested their new €10,000 side-scanning sonar device on a stretch of the river at Crosshaven, 

The scanner detected "an item of interest" in about 30-ft of water near the pier and following an inspection by CCMPSR divers, gardaí were alerted and an investigation was launched.

Gardaí contacted Mr Coughlan’s family to tell them to expect Garda activity in the area.

A Garda rib in the water at Hugh Coveney Pier, Crosshaven Co Cork for the recovery of a vehicle found in the water. Picture: Larry Cummins

And while locals awaited the arrival of the Garda Water Unit, CCMPSR members remained on the pier overnight in solidarity with Mr Coughlan's family.

“It was the least we felt we could do for this family,” CCMPSR spokesman, Christy O’Donovan, said.