Search for missing fisherman wound down due to darkness

By Tom Shiel

AS darkness fell, an air and sea search this evening (Saturday) has been wound down for a young lobster fisherman from north Mayo.

The man, who is for  the Erris area, has been missing since yesterday (Friday) morning when he took his boat, a 30 foot half decker, to lift pots off Benwee Head.

The vessel was later found washed ashore but there was no sign of the missing man who is in his early 20s.

The alarm was raised by the fisherman's family on Friday evening when he failed to returned to Rinroe Pier as expected.

Weather conditions locally were poor on Friday with torrential rain and low visibility in the area where the lobster pots were located.

A Shannon based coastguard helicopter, along with RBLI lifeboats from Ballyglass and Achiill, participated in today's search. They were joined by a number of local fishing boats.

The missing man' boat, with its lights still on, was found on the shoreline on Friday evening.

It is understood the now missing me sent a photo from his mobile phone to friends mid-afternoon on Friday. This indicates nothing was amiss at the time.