A SEARCH operation began off the Waterford coast early this morning for a fishing vessel with three crew members on board. The alarm was raised after a 35 ft fishing boat, Sovereign Dawn, failed to arrive in Dunmore East harbour at about 7 p.m. yesterday as expected after reporting engine trouble.
An Air Corps Dauphine helicopter from Baldonnel joined a lifeboat from Dunmore East and six local fishing vessels to search an area 18 miles from the coastline, where the boat was positioned when it was last in radio contact with another fishing vessel at 3.30 p.m. The boat was heading back to shore at the time.
A spokesman for the Marine Rescue Service said it was possible that the vessel's engine had broken down. He said the weather conditions were moderate with southerly winds.