THE Department of the Marine surveyor leading the investigation into the sinking of the Dunmore East fishing boat, Jenalisa, will today begin a detailed examination of the wreck, which arrived in Waterford last night.
Hopes that the bodies of the two missing fishermen, the owner skipper Mr Peter Nolan (39) and Mr Niall Power (25), were still on board were dashed soon after the vessel was raised on Monday night. A search of the vessel revealed no sign of the men.
Yesterday morning was spent securing the Jenalisa to a barge which was towed by tugs into Waterford city last night.
On its journey up the river estuary, groups of people watched from the shore as the barge and tugs passed. The Jenalisa was towed stern first. The vessel had been involved in gill net fishing. There appeared to be only slight damage to the starboard side of the hull, still covered in nets. The port side was not visible as it was against the barge.
The Minister for the Marine, Mr Barrett, is expected to make a statement later today in the Dail on the controversy surrounding the awarding of the first contract to raise the Jenalisa.
North East Diving Services had originally been appointed. But the contract was subsequently given to Celtic Diving from Cork.
The Department is still refusing to comment on speculation that the fishing boat may have sunk after a collision with another vessel. The inquiry, a spokeswoman said, is only to establish the cause of the sinking and to make recommendations to avoid a recurrence. It is not, she stressed, to apportion blame.
The findings of the Department's investigation into the sinking will be made public, subject to legal restrictions.