WEATHER permitting, a private service will be held at sea next Monday for the families and friends of the missing crewmen of the Donegal trawler, the Carrickatine.
The extensive sea search operation for the Carrickatine, which was extended for a further two weeks earlier this month, ended at 3.30 a.m. yesterday, when the area mapped out for searching was covered, according to a spokes woman for the Department of the Marine.
The 75 foot trawler and its crew were reported missing from their home port of Greeneastle, Co Donegal, in heavy weather over 10 weeks ago. Despite an extensive search the bodies of crewmen, brothers Jeremy and Conal McKinney, Tony Doherty, John Kelly, Stephen Kelly and 18 year old Bernard Gormley, were never found. All are believed to have drowned.
The families are said to be "extremely disappointed at the decision to call off the search, but were grateful to everyone who participated and to all those who supported them over the weeks since the disappearance of the Carrickatine, according to the parish priest, Father George McLaughlin.
Although there are no final details, it is believed that a Naval
Service vessel will bring the families of the lost fishermen to an area of open sea near to where the trawler was last sighted for the service. Father McLaughlin said that it was proposed that the short service be followed by the dropping of wreaths overboard.