Search for missing fishermen locates wrecked boat

The wreckage of a fishing boat which sank off the coast of County Down has been located on the seabed, but weather conditions prevented further investigation of the wreck on Friday afternoon and as dusk fell hopes of finding the two missing men alive had faded.

The wreck was discovered as part of a major air, sea and land search for two fishermen missing since the boat sank near Ardglass last night (Thursday).

A third man, believed to be the skipper of the boat, has been rescued and was treated in hospital for hypothermia.

The alarm was raised when a distress call from the fishing vessel 'Greenhill' was received at 8.15pm yesterday. Coastguard rescue teams from Newcastle, White Rock and Portaferry were sent to conduct an inshore search and RNLI lifeboats from Portaferry and Newcastle were requested to launch.

The Irish Rescue helicopter from Dublin was scrambled and to help with the search, as are PSNI teams on the shore.

Richard Newell, Rescue Centre Manager at Belfast Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, confirmed that the Portaferry lifeboat had located a liferaft with one person aboard from the missing fishing vessel. The man informed the lifeboat crew that there were a further two fishermen aboard the vessel.

It is understood that the man received treatment for hypothermia and has now been discharged from Down Hospital.

Sinn Fein South Down Assembly Member Caitríona Ruane has expressed shock at the news. Ms Ruane said: "The tightknit fishing community of Ardglass is holding its breath in the hope that the missing men will be found. My thoughts, and that of my party, are with the relatives of those who are missing. We can only hope and pray they will be found safely and I wish to commend the emergency services who rescued one survivor earlier in the evening and are currently carrying out an intensive search operation in the area."

(GB)