Minister for Transport Martin Cullen is expected to order the salvage of two fishing vessels which sank off the south-east coast over the past year with the loss of seven lives.
The Minister may relay his decision to the bereaved families of the fishermen who died in the Pere Charles and Maggie B sinkings at a meeting in Waterford this afternoon. Also in attendance will be Minister of State for Transport Pat "the Cope" Gallagher.
No sign of the bodies of the five crew of the Pere Charles has been reported since the vessel sank several miles off Hook Head while returning from a herring trip on January 10th.
Hours later, on January 11th, the Honeydew II foundered some 20 miles further west off Mine Head. Two crew were rescued, but skipper Ger Bohan (39) and his Polish crewman Tomasz Jagla (32) were lost.
The bereaved families of Pere Charles skipper Tom Hennessy (32), his uncle Pat Hennessy (48), Billy O'Connor (50), Pat Coady (27) and Andriy Dyrin (32) from the Ukraine have been advised by an independent assessor that the film recorded by Naval Service divers covers an estimated third of the vessel's interior on the seabed in 35m (115ft) of water.
The families initiated a campaign several months ago to have the boat raised, collecting thousands of names in a petition, and were in contact with the families of two men who died in the Maggie B sinking in the same area over a year ago.
Both the Pere Charles and the Maggie B were steel vessels, whereas the Honeydew II is a wooden vessel and would have sustained more damage.
Mr Glynn Cott (30), single and from Ballycotton, Co Cork, and his Polish crewman Jan Sankowski died when the Maggie B sank some five miles south of Hook Head on March 29th, 2006.
The sole survivor was Krzysztof Pawtowski, also from Poland. The vessel, which had capsized before in British waters, is in some 48m of water. The bereaved families believe that the cause of the incident will only be established if the boat is salvaged.
The families have been informed that salvages would not have to be paid for by the State, if the vessels are insured and if a wreck removal order is issued by the relevant Minister.
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board has not sought either vessel to be raised for its inquiries. However, vessels have formerly been retrieved for investigations. Early last year, Mr Gallagher ordered salvage of the Rising Sun lobster boat, which sank off the Saltee islands, Co Wexford, in November, 2005, with the loss of two crew.
No bodies were found on the vessel, which was damaged during the lift by a private contractor. The cost of that operation was €435,000, according to Irish Coast Guard documentation.
