Salvage crews raise Rising Sun fishing boat
Salvage crews tonight raised the Rising Sun fishing vessel from the sea bed several miles off the coast of Wexford.
The lobster boat, which sank last November with the loss of two crew, will be taken to near Rosslare Port, by the Irish Lights vessel the Granuaile, where it will be held overnight.
The boat will not be brought into the harbour until 10am tomorrow. Gardaí will then board the vessel to carry out a search for the body of missing skipper Pat Colfer.
The Rising Sun sank suddenly off the coast of the Great Saltee Island on November 29 last year with the loss of two crew, Mr Colfer and his friend Jimmy Meyler.
The tragedy was compounded days later when a diver went missing while searched the wreck for Mr Colfer’s body.
Billy O’Connor, an experienced diver from Kilmore Diving Club, disappeared on his way back from the vessel.
The salvage operation is being undertaken by Tuskar Rock Marine on behalf of the Irish coastguard in a bid to recover the vessel which has been lying in 52m of water since it sank.
Family members of those who died are being kept up to date with developments and it is understood that a prayer service will be held for the families when the boat arrives in Rosslare.
