AN AIR and sea search will be resumed today for a 13m (42ft) vessel missing since Wednesday with three men aboard.
An Air Corps Casa maritime patrol fixed-wing aircraft and the Coast Guard helicopter based at Strandhill, Co Sligo, searched the seas and shoreline yesterday from Killybegs in Co Donegal to Rossaveal in Connemara. The search was called off when darkness fell and will be resumed at first light today.
The vessel, Ban Rí na dTonn(Queen of the Waves), believed to be a converted trawler, set out for Rossaveal from Fanad, Co Donegal.
There has been no communication from those on board since it left Killybegs on Wednesday after a stopover for some supplies.
A Coast Guard spokesman at Malin Head said it was also possible the vessel was sheltering from heavy seas in some remote cove.
"However, at this stage there is concern. There has been no communication with it since Wednesday afternoon," he added:
One of the men on board the missing vessel was the new owner who bought it recently and was taking it to new moorings at Rossaveal.
Searchers had no details on his two crew.
The alert was raised yesterday afternoon when the vessel was several hours overdue at Rossaveal.
The authorities withheld the name of the vessel until family members of those aboard were contacted.