News

Malin Head drowning victims in water for hours before alarm raised

The scene yesterday at Portronan pier off Malin Head, Co Donegal
The scene yesterday at Portronan pier off Malin Head, Co Donegal The scene yesterday at Portronan pier off Malin Head, Co Donegal

A TEENAGER and a man who died after a fishing boat capsized off the Co Donegal coast were in the water for several hours before the alarm was raised.

Thomas Weir (16) and Gerry Doherty, aged in his sixties, died in the tragedy off Malin Head.

A third man in his fifties was rescued after being found clinging to a buoy. He has since been discharged from hospital. All three have family connections.

It is understood the small boat left the coast at about 9am on Tuesday.

Two holidaymakers who were staying near the pier at Portronan called the coastguard at about 3.30pm after hearing shouts and seeing people in the water.

The RNLI said they were in the water for around four hours by the time the alarm was raised.

Thomas was from Dalkeith in Scotland but is thought to have been recently living in Derry, while Mr Doherty was from Co Donegal.

Thomas had been in Donegal in recent days visiting relatives including Mr Doherty.

The teenager died in Altnagelvin Hospital after being airlifted from the sea. Mr Doherty was found on the shore and pronounced dead at the scene.

The third man, also from Derry, was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital after being rescued from the sea.

Joe Joyce, from Lough Swilly RNLI, described the rescue effort as a "massive operation" which involved 40 emergency service personnel.

A coastguard boat, two lifeboats and a rescue helicopter were sent to the scene.

"When we arrived on the scene we learned that the people were in the water for about four hours," Mr Joyce told the BBC.

"They had got into difficulty at about noon when their boat became swamped and they capsized.

"A young teenage boy was subsequently lifted by the coastguard helicopter and taken to Altnagelvin.

"A local boat found the man in his fifties clinging to a buoy and subsequently, about an hour-and-a-half later, the third person was found washed up on the shore under Banba's Crown, a rocky outcrop there."

Mr Joyce said conditions at sea were "very favourable" but that Malin Head has some of the most "treacherous waters in the world".

"You always dread when a rescue becomes a recovery," he added.

"Without the help of the local fishing boats that answered the cry for help from the mayday, the outcome probably would have been worse.

"But we console ourselves on the fact that we were fit to bring everybody back to shore."