NAVAL SERVICE divers are expected to begin searching the wreck of a fishing boat this morning for a 64-year-old fisherman reported missing after his vessel sank in the Suir estuary off Co Wexford yesterday.
A search operation was under way for the man, named locally as John Ennis, a father of four from Ballyhack, Co Wexford, when the boat he was working on, Na Buachailli, went down about 100m (330ft) from shore near Duncannon.
The vessel was skippered by Richard McNamara. He managed to make it ashore close to Blackhill Lighthouse near Duncannon where he was spotted by Hugh Burke, a retired volunteer with the RNLI. Mr Burke raised the alarm at about 12.20pm.
Mr McNamara had managed to activate the boat’s emergency position indicating radio beacon before entering the water and the Fethard on Sea inshore lifeboat and the Dunmore East lifeboat responded quickly to the alert.
A passenger aboard the Passage East to Ballyhack car ferry had also seen a man in the water after the vessel sank. The ferry also raised the alarm and the Irish Coast Guard Sikorski helicopter was scrambled from Waterford.
Fishing out of Ballyhack, the nine metre (30ft) Na Buachailli began fishing for mussels at 7.45am in about 3.7 metres of water.
Weather conditions were said to be good at the time of the incident, with a flat sea.
Up to 20 local boats, including small craft, joined the search operation with the two RNLI vessels and the Coast Guard helicopter yesterday. Teams of Coast Guard volunteers joined with gardaí in searching the coastline for the missing man.
According to Lieut Cdr Terry Ward of the Naval Service, the vessel was located in about 17 metres of water and nine divers arrived just before 6pm yesterday.
It is expected divers will examine the wreck this morning, weather permitting. While the vessel is not in very deep water the area is subject to strong currents, Lieut Cdr Ward said.
Gardaí are co-ordinating a search on shore from Duncannon Pier and, according to Insp Mick Walsh of New Ross Garda station, up to 50 people were involved in the operation until it was stepped down just before 6pm yesterday when mist and fog reduced visibility.
Insp Walsh said the skipper, Mr McNamara, understood to be in his 30s, was badly shaken by the incident. He was uninjured and was treated at the scene by paramedics after making his way ashore.
According to Insp Walsh, it appears Mr McNamara was in the wheelhouse while Mr Ennis was working on the deck of the yawl when the vessel appears to have flipped over. It is believed it quickly sank, with initial reports suggesting both men managed to get clear of the boat.
Department of Marine investigators are due to launch an inquiry into the incident.
They will investigate whether one of the lines being winched into the boat may have snagged on something on the seabed, and then may have released suddenly, causing the boat to flip over.