Search for missing Dutch man off Cork coast stood down

The two men feared lost in the sea off west Cork had travelled to Ireland to check on a family holiday home amid fears it may have been damaged by the January storms, it emerged yesterday.

Roland Deckers (31) had travelled from his home near Amsterdam with his friend Othman Rahmouni (33), also from Amsterdam, to check on the Deckers' holiday home at the Cove at Eskeraha, some 5km from Kilcrohane on the Sheep Head's peninsula, according neighbour Jerry Daly.

“Their holiday home is about 20 metres from the sea and it’s our understanding that Roland had come over with his friend to check that the house wasn’t damaged by last month’s storms,” Mr Daly said. “He always enjoyed coming here and he was anxious to see that the house was okay.”

It is believed Mr Deckers and Mr Rahmouni fell into the sea on Saturday afternoon while out walking in stormy conditions on the northern side of the peninsula. A major search was launched on Monday.

The body of one of them was found on Monday afternoon and brought to Cork University Hospital for a postmortem.

The search for the second man was stood down at 2pm yesterday due to treacherous weather conditions.