Fund for 'Rising Sun' families

British actor John Hurt has become lead patron of a fund for the Co Wexford families bereaved by the sinking of the Rising Sun.

The actor agreed to support the initiative through his association with the Red Kettle Theatre Company, according to the fundraising committee.

Mr Hurt presented a cheque to the committee yesterday on behalf of the Co Waterford building and civil engineering company Ascon and Rohcon in support of a forthcoming race night for the fund.

The fund was set up by a group of fishing families, divers and friends of the three families bereaved when the lobster boat sank off the Saltee islands in late November.

Skipper Pat Colfer and crewman Jimmy Meyler lost their lives, and New Ross diver Billy O'Connor died days later on returning from a dive on the vessel on the sea bed.

In a separate development, the Marine Casualty Investigation Board has invited tenders for an "inclining" test on the vessel, which is now in storage near Rosslare, Co Wexford, since its salvage on February 7th.

The investigation board, which is conducting the official inquiry into the vessel's sinking, wants to "return the vessel to a status as close as possible to that which existed prior to the casualty", according to the tender.

This status would include "watertight integrity of the hull, and disposition of equipment and structural details on board".

The board says it does not need the vessel to be restored to a seagoing condition, but to its "approximate previous location".

This should allow for health and safety factors to be seen by those involved in the "inclining experiment".

It had been hoped that Mr Colfer's body might be on the vessel when it was salvaged, but there has been no sign of the missing skipper since November 29th.