Police divers have recovered the body of missing Co Down fisherman Colin Donnelly, it was confirmed today.
The 30-year-old fisherman went missing after his trawler, the Emerald Dawn, went down off the coast of Kilkeel on Wednesday.
Colin's best friend, Shane Murnaghan (28) was rescued alive on Thursday after more than 20-hours on a life-raft.
Mr Murnaghan was taken to the hospital in the Isle of Man after being picked up by a ferry nine miles south-east of the island.
Shane's mother Rita said that she was relieved Colin's body had been found. "It's a relief, but we have to live with it too," she said.
"Shane is very traumatised and sedated. His girlfriend, who's a nurse, is with him." Colin's devastated father, Bernard, said the family had been through a 'living nightmare' since the fisherman went missing.
The official search for Mr Donnelly, of Kilkeel, was called off after the coastguard decided there was "no hope" left that he was still alive.
Mr Murnaghan was able to pass on details about the location of the boat and police divers went out today to search the spot where the Emerald Dawn sank in a bid to find the body.
Mr Alex Slater, pastor of the Fisherman's Mission at Kilkeel, said the family had been praying the body would be located.
The pair had been fishing for crabs six miles from Kilkeel when their boat sank. There is no indication so far as to what caused the boat to go down. Speaking on Friday before the body of his son was located, Mr Donnelly said he was happy that the Murnaghan family had their son back.
"Unfortunately my son didn't make it to the life-raft. But it's better to have one than have lost two," he said. "Shane is a member of the family. My son, the Murnaghans, we are just all one family and I am so glad for the Murnaghan family to have their son home again."
Mr Donnelly said that Colin's 10-year-old son, Jordan was devastated. He said: "I don't know what we are going to do."