A Naval Service team was called in by immigration authorities in Cork last night to search for four Moroccan stowaways who had been detained on board a liquid gas carrier.
The search began after the vessel had berthed at the Irish Fertilizer Industries jetty near Cobh.
It is understood that the four stowaways, who were discovered on board the vessel while it was en route to Cork from the port of Safi in Morocco, had been locked in a cabin under orders of the captain.
The LPG carrier, the Cheshire, arrived at the IFI jetty near Cobh at 3.45 p.m. yesterday. It is owned by the Bibby Line of Liverpool and is registered in the Isle of Man.
It is understood that while the ship was completing its docking the stowaways broke a porthole window on the side of the vessel facing away from the quay and managed either to jump into the water or to escape to a lower level.
Gardai from Cobh and immigration officials from Anglesea Street Garda station in Cork under Sgt Ted Holland were continuing a search for them late last night.
An inflatable from the LE Roisin, which was at anchor in Cork Harbour, began a precautionary search of the area around the IFI jetty yesterday afternoon. Crosshaven lifeboat also assisted in the search in case the men had managed to take to the water.
According to Garda sources in Cork, the Cheshire called to a Spanish port while en route to Ireland. The Irish immigration authorities were alerted to the presence of the four stowaways before its arrival in Cork.
There appears to have been some confusion initially as to where the vessel would berth in Cork, and immigration officers were waiting for it to arrive in Ringaskiddy at about 3.45 p.m. However, the Cheshire berthed instead across the harbour at the IFI jetty, where the search for the men then began.
The Cheshire is loading ammonia at the IFI plant and is expected to be in Cork for a further 24 hours.