Garda may raise sunken Mayo fishing boat

A FISHING boat that sank in mysterious circumstances off Erris Head, Co Mayo, early on June 11th last, may be raised from the…

A FISHING boat that sank in mysterious circumstances off Erris Head, Co Mayo, early on June 11th last, may be raised from the seabed if located.

Chief Supt Tony McNamara has confirmed that, at the request of the Garda, a Naval Service diving team was working in the area yesterday, where the Iona Isle sank.

The Iona Isle was one of a small fleet of crab fishing boats owned by leading Corrib gas project opponent Pat O’Donnell.

Mr O’Donnell claims that on June 11th, while guarding his fishing gear ahead of the arrival of the Shell-contracted pipelaying vessel, the Solitaire, his boat was boarded by four armed men. He says they held him and his crewman captive while they set about scuttling it.

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He also claims the men spoke with foreign accents and steamed out to the open sea after his boat was damaged. He says he managed to launch a life raft just minutes before his boat sank.

At the time, Shell EP Ireland said in a statement that it “emphatically rejected” any allegation that “people employed on the Corrib gas project were involved in any way in the incident which led to the sinking of the Iona Isle ”.

Speaking yesterday, Chief Supt McNamara said that as part of the Iona Isle investigation “we have tasked the Navy to try and locate the fishing vessel in question.

“First of all we have to try and find the Iona Isle and the next question is what depth of water it is in. These waters are excessively deep for any diving operations,” said Chief Supt McNamara.

“If it is possible to lift it and it is economically feasible we will consider it,” he added.

Responding last night, Pat O’Donnell told The Irish Times that this development was “good news”.

“While it is very good news it still isn’t going to capture the four men who boarded my boat in the middle of the night and terrorised me and my crewman,” Mr O’Donnell said. “I was very disappointed that the gardaí­ didn’t act at the time and immediately set up checkpoints at all the ports around Mayo,” he added.

Eddie Diver, the chairman of the Erris Fishermen’s Association, also welcomed the news that the Iona Isle may be raised.