The search for four fishermen who were on board the St Gervase trawler which hit rocks near Mizen Head early yesterday morning was to resume at first light today.
Fishing boats converged on the area from early yesterday to lend assistance in the search but as dusk approached, any hopes of finding them alive in the freezing water began to fade.
The crew of the St Gervase had been fishing for haddock in about 90 feet of water near Mizen Head and may have been asleep when the 65-foot, wooden-hulled trawler was washed on to rocks in a heavy swell.
It is understood that an aircraft flying overhead picked up a distress signal at 3 a.m. and alerted the Irish coastal authorities.
A full-scale emergency rescue operation began, involving a Sikorski helicopter from Shannon as well as the Baltimore and Castletownbere lifeboats, the LE Roisin and the Goleen Cliff Coastal Rescue Team.
Divers from the LE Roisin also searched the area.
Shortly afterwards, the Baltimore lifeboat crew found debris in the water, thought to be fish boxes, and noticed a heavy smell of diesel fuel near where the trawler is believed to have gone down. The St Gervase left Castletownbere shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
Two of the crew had just joined the vessel.
The fact weather conditions did not appear to be a factor in the tragedy has led to speculation locally that the crew may have been in their bunks and fishing on auto-pilot when the trawler hit the notorious Mizen Head rocks. It was also possible, local fishermen said, that the St Gervase may have developed engine trouble and drifted on to the rocks.
The crew includes Mr Kieran Harrington (17), from Castletownbere, who had been working ashore in the fish-processing industry before going to sea for the first time some months ago.
A second crew member, Mr Timothy Anglend, in his 30s, from Ardglass, Co Down, with an address in Cork, arrived in Castletownbere last week seeking work on a trawler.
The skipper, Mr Gary Kane (30), from Donegal town, is an experienced fisherman and has been at sea for many years.
He and his wife, Alexandra, from Allihies, Co Cork, live in Castletownbere with their one-year-old son, Connell.
The fourth crew member is Mr Jacques Biger (35) from Brittany, who married Ms Gillian Murphy of Castletownbere last May.
Also an experienced fisherman, he has been living in the town for 11 years and has plans to operate his own trawler and crew.
Mr Kane bought the St Gervase last year from Mr Sean Cotter, who drowned last May while fishing near Castletownbere.
Weather conditions were described as good when the St Gervase left Castletownbere for the fishing grounds.
The remainder of the local fishing fleet was also at sea yesterday in a moderate wind.
There was a heavy swell, although this was described as seasonal and not unusual for the time of year.
The type of fishing being carried out was more in-shore than deep sea and is described locally as "rock-hopping".
The search for a man who fell from a Spanish trawler west of the Mayo coast about at 5 p.m. was called off last night.
The Shannon-based rescue helicopter and a Nimrod aircraft from Scotland mounted a search. Early today a spokesman for the Malin Head Coastguard said the man must be presumed dead.