Naval Divers aboard the MV Granuaile have today recovered the body of missing diver, Billy O’Connor in a search off the Wexford Coast. The body was located this morning in the vicinity of the wreck of the Rising Sun by the Granuaile, using the Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV).
A Naval diving team was dispatched to the location identified by the ROV where the body was recovered, brought to the surface and will be taken ashore to his family.
Mr O’Connor had been missing since Thursday 1st December.
Marine Minister, Pat the Cope Gallagher T.D., expressed his relief that the search had recovered the missing diver: “Following my visit to Kilmore Quay last Sunday I am keenly aware of the trauma that the families of both Pat Colfer and Billy O’Connor have been going through. I am glad that at least now the family of Billy O’Connor can have some measure of closure to this awful event. We will now concentrate our efforts on continuing the search for Pat Colfer.”
The search for the missing skipper of the Rising Sun, Pat Colfer, will continue. The MV Granuaile will continue ROV and dive operations in the vicinity of the wreck of the Rising Sun and the Kilmore Quay lifeboat, assisted by the naval vessel the L.E. Ciara will continue surface searches in the area. Coast Guard Units will also conduct shoreline searches along the coastline.
A large scale surface search involving the Rosslare and Arklow Lifeboats along with several local fishing vessels also took place in the vicinity of Tuskar Rock.
ENDS