Weather again restricts sea searches

The search for the bodies of seven fishermen missing off the south coast was again restricted by poor weather conditions to a…

The search for the bodies of seven fishermen missing off the south coast was again restricted by poor weather conditions to a shoreline search.

A spokeswoman for the marine recovery mission said the public had been asked not to participate today for their own safety but that the search is due to resume tomorrow, and will include the use of a rescue helicopter.

The forecast indicates a high pressure system building in the Atlantic and authorities are hopeful that more settled weather conditions in the middle of next week would allow for a dive on the wreck of the Pere Charles  which is lying in some 35 metres of water off the coast.

The Pere Charles  trawler sank just over two miles south of Hook Head a week ago en route to Dunmore East with the loss of all five crew.

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Hours later a second vessel, the Kinsale-based Honeydew II, sank off Mine Head with the loss of two of its four crew.

Divers reached the wreck on Tuesday but were unable to gain access to the vessel because of the way the trawler was lying on the seabed.