Naval divers are set to resume an underwater search off the west Cork coast tomorrow morning for a missing 13-year-old Polish boy following the recovery of the body of the boy’s father this morning near where they went missing.
A Naval Service dive team recovered the body of Piotr Latek in eight metres of water approximately 100 metres off shore near Cod’s Head between Allihies and Eyries on the Beara Peninsula just before 11am.
However the divers found no trace of Mr Latek’s son, Matteus who had come from Poland earlier this month to visit his father in Kenmare, Co Kerry. They had gone fishing on Sunday afternoon at Cod’s Head.
An eight-man dive team worked in relays of four, carrying out the first search at 8am and conducting a total of five dives averaging about 40 minutes duration.
Lifeboat and coastguard vessels from Castletownbere, and the Derrynane Inshore Rescue Service, also took part in the sea and coastline search.
Mr Latek’s body was brought ashore by a Naval Service dive team in their rib (rigid inflatable boat) and transferred to Cork University Hospital for postmortem.
The search by Naval Divers was suspended at about 6pm but will resume again at 8am tomorrow morning when it’s intended to extend the search area beyond Cod’s Head. Weather conditions are expected to be reasonably good.
Supt Liam Horgan of Bantry Garda Station said the location where Mr Latek’s body was found was near where his fishing rod had been located by gardaí on Tuesday and searchers were hopeful that Matteus, similarly, had not been carried far away..
“Only for the Naval Service we woudl have been lost and we’re just hoping now that when they resume the search tomorrow that the body of young Matteus will be in the same general area as where they found his father’s body,” said Supt Horgan.
Mr Latek’s widow, Joanna is due to arrive in Kenmare tomorrow.
Mr Latek’s employer, Breadcrumb Baker owner, Manuela Goeb has established a special fund to help Ms Latek with funeral costs.
Ms Goeb appealed to people to give any amount, however small. Donations can be made to the 'Piotr and Matteus Fund' at Bank of Ireland, Kenmare, sort code 905731. The account number is 28414889.
