An air and sea search is expected to resume off the Wicklow coast this morning following yesterday's transmission of a distress message in the Irish Sea. Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent, reports.
The Irish Coast Guard and Naval Service remained mystified last night about the incident, as no report had been received of a missing vessel. However, substantial debris was located in a five-mile area during the initial searches yesterday morning.
The alarm was raised shortly after 9 a.m. yesterday when a fishing vessel picked up a Mayday call on VHF channel eight and relayed it to the Irish Coast Guard. No precise latitude or longitude was given during the short message, which was transmitted on a ship-to-ship radio frequency, rather than on the emergency channel 16.
Weather conditions were good at the time. An Irish Coast Guard medium-range Sikorsky helicopter from Dublin on a training run was diverted to search an area about three miles east of Wicklow, and found substantial debris within about 15 to 20 minutes, including about 19 fish boxes floating 100 metres apart.
The helicopter and an Air Corps Casa continued an aerial search, while two Naval Service patrol ships, which had been on duty off the east coast as part of the May Day security operation, were also sent to the area.
The LE Aisling and LE Ciara were joined by RNLI lifeboats from Dún Laoghaire, Arklow, Wicklow and Greystones, while Greystones Coast Guard conducted a shore search.
Another debris field was then located extending over five miles, comprising more fish boxes, oil drums, paint cans, a fire extinguisher, a fridge, a hat and gloves. However, there was no sign of any vessel wreckage, and a check on vessels in fishing ports extending from Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford, up to Dún Laoghaire was carried out by the Irish Coast Guard. The Sikorsky helicopter from Waterford was also called in to relieve the Dublin helicopter.
Lieut Cdr Gerry O'Flynn of the Naval Service confirmed last night that more debris had been picked up by the LE Róisín, which relieved the LE Aisling. The ship also took samples from an oil slick spotted by the Air Corps Casa maritime surveillance aircraft about nine miles east of Greystones. "Strong north and south flowing tides in this area confuse the picture as it makes it very difficult to pinpoint a precise search area without more information," he said.
During the search, which continued until nightfall, the Dublin helicopter rescued a woman with a broken leg off Bray Head, and was called to Sutton to a potential emergency.