The Department of the Marine has described as "entirely regrettable" the destruction of the fishing craft from which two Donegal fishermen lost their lives three weeks ago. An investigation into the interference with the wreck site had been initiated, a Department spokesman said.
The bodies of the two men, Mr Michael Jack Boyle (45) from Rosbeg and Mr Thomas Moore (24) from Narin near Portnoo, have still not been found since the alert was raised on October 31st.
Earlier this week their sunken 36ft half-decker, Lisa Selena, was broken up, possibly by another vessel trawling on the grounds two miles west of Loughros Point.
A vessel trawling so close to shore could be in breach of the law. To compound the issue, the area was designated an exclusion zone, pending the inquiry into the accident by the Department of the Marine. A spokesman for the Department said the zone had been marked by a buoy and marine notices had been issued and warnings broadcast to vessels in the area on coast radio.
There had been a thorough search of the area, and there was video footage of the craft taken by Garda divers during the initial stages of the search. It was too early to say how the destruction of the craft would affect the Department's investigation.
The half-decker was located by divers from Burtonport in 127ft of water the day after it failed to return to Rosbeg. The fishermen were returning from Killybegs in good weather and are believed to have stopped to haul crab pots.
Mr Joey Murrin, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, said if allegations that pelagic (mackerel-herring) vessels were fishing in the area proved to be correct, he would not "defend the indefensible".
"Until I fully investigate the situation myself, it would be unfair to apportion blame."
