Salvage of two fishing vessels which sank within five kilometres (three miles) of each other off the southeast coast may take place this weekend, weather permitting.
A Dutch crane barge was yesterday en route from Rotterdam to carry out the lift of the Maggie B, which sank off Hook Head in March, 2006, and the Pere Charles, which sank several miles south of Dunmore East, Co Waterford, last January.
While the Maggie B is virtually intact, it is understood the Pere Charles has sustained extensive damage to its superstructure.
There has been no sign of the bodies of two fishermen - Glynn Cott from Ballycotton, Co Cork, and Polish crewman Jan Sankowski - since the loss of the Maggie B.
Similarly, five fishermen - skipper Tomaisin Hennessy, his uncle Pat Hennessy, Billy O'Connor, Pat Coady and Ukrainian national Andriy Dyrin - have not been found since the Pere Charles was lost on a return trip to Dunmore East 10 months ago.
The salvage operation by Irish Diving Contractors Ltd has involved extensive preparatory work on the vessels, which lie in depths of 47m and 34m respectively.
It is expected the Maggie B will be lifted first, and both vessels will be taken to Arklow, Co Wicklow, where they will be examined by Irish Coast Guard and marine survey staff.
The Government commitment to salvaging the vessels after a long campaign by the bereaved families was given on two counts: to search for missing bodies and to assist the investigations into the sinkings. The Maggie B had capsized before in British waters.
Hours after the Pere Charles sinking, another vessel, the Honeydew II, foundered 32km farther west off Mine Head. Two crew were rescued, but skipper Ger Bohan (39) and his Polish crewman Tomasz Jagla (32) were lost. There are no plans to raise this vessel.
