AFTER A joint appeal by families of two missing fishermen, the organisers of the search operation at Union Hall, Co Cork, said last night that they were now oversubscribed with volunteer divers for the search operation this weekend.
Caitlin Ní Aodha, wife of missing skipper Michael Hayes (52), and Mohammed Ali Eldin, father of Saied Ali Eldin (24), are hoping for favourable weather conditions this weekend.
Ms Ní Aodha offered her grateful appreciation for the work carried out to date and commended those taking part.
“I suppose we would be asking for people that haven’t been out searching for the past 12 days.
“It’s always good to have people who are fresh.”
As a detailed search co-ordinated by experts enters its 14th day, she remains positive.
“I do feel we will find them, I’m trying to be positive.
“It’s hard, especially when I’m exhausted but we are not giving up,” she said.
Southwest winds of force 3 to 4 are predicted, bringing low swell and good visibility for divers.
A former spokeswoman for the Irish Fishermen’s Organisation and a mother of five, Ms Ní Aodha has taken part in previous searches.
Two weeks ago yesterday she said goodbye to her husband, unaware she would not see him again.
The father of the young Egyptian crewman, speaking through a translator, said that each passing day brought a deeper sadness.
“I’m just hoping to find my son. Every day without him it just gets harder, waiting and hoping to find him,” Mohammed Ali Eldine said.
Irish Coast Guard spokesman Hugh Barry had emphasised that divers needed to be qualified and experienced and to have conducted a number of dives over the past three months.
“A significant number of private dive teams have been in touch, they are on standby as we are expecting a lot of people over the next two days,” Mr Barry said.
Divers from the Naval Service and An Garda Síochána are continuing their work, but is a big area to cover.
Egyptians Attia Shaban (26) and father-of-two Wael Mohammed (35) were buried in their native fishing village of Borg Meghezel, while the youngest victim, Kevin Kershaw, was laid to rest in Dublin on Thursday.