The official search for three members of a family from Co Down feared drowned after they failed to return from a fishing trip was called off this afternoon.
Local fishing boats are continuing a scaled search for wreckage and the bodies in an area about 5 miles from Kilkeel harbour.
Mr Michael Greene (54), his 33-year-old son and 10-year-old grandson, were on a small boat when it went missing off the Co Down coast.
Their small boat, the Tullaghmurry Lass, was due to be decommissioned as part of cutbacks in the fishing industry.
A massive air and sea rescue operation took place yesterday involving more than 250 people in lifeboats, helicopters and around 25 local fishing boats.
However, hopes of recovering the three family members faded last night as the search was called off as darkness fell.
The search was resumed this morning. A Wessex helicopter from RAF Aldergrove is understood to helping a number of boats search the area.
Family and friends were puzzled as to how the boat disappeared beneath waters which were calm at the time.
The Tullaghmurry Lasscontained modern radio equipment and was in good condition.
The elder man's brother, Mr Gabriel Greene, was convinced all three were dead.
"It's so hard to deal with that the wee lad has just gone through his mid-term break," he said.
"His life was just to go out in the boat. All he wanted in his future life was to go to sea.
"For three to go in one go is totally devastating."
Mr Alan McVeigh, a crew member in the Kilkeel Lifeboat, said yesterday's search had been difficult for everyone.
"Initially you hoped that maybe something had gone wrong and the vessel had come into some sort of difficulty and got stranded somewhere," he said.
"But as the day wore on and the more vessels became involved and there was nothing found, it became more sombre.
"It's hard for the crews and the people out searching as well because most of the people know who the people were," he said.
PA
