THE wreck of the fishing vessel Jenalisa was located yesterday. It sank off Dunmore East, Co Waterford, last Sunday with three men on board. Two of the men remain missing: the body of the third was recovered shortly after the boat sank.
The 40ft steel hulled vessel was located on the seabed in 36 metres of water, three miles south south east of Brownstown Head. Sonar and echo equipment had been used to locate it in a search co ordinated by Mr Eamon Torpey of the Irish Marine Emergency Service from on board a local trawler, Coronia II, and the Dunmore East lifeboat.
A search of the sunken trawler, which is upright with a slight list to starboard, was undertaken by seven Naval Service and six Garda divers, but no bodies were found.
Sub Lieut Eddie Mulligan, the on scene commander of diving operations, told The Irish Times last night there were "a lot of nets" surrounding the Janelisa, but that divers had managed to enter the wheelhouse, where nothing was found.
Diving operations had to be suspended because of deteriorating weather conditions and failing light. Although storms are forecast, it is hoped to resume the search this morning, with a more extensive exploration of the boat being undertaken by divers.
It is also intended to video the wreck and to try to establish what caused it to sink so suddenly.
The Jenalisa's owner, Mr Peter Nolan (39), and Mr Niall Power (25), both from Dunmore East, are the missing men. Mr Conor O'Grady (22), from Annestown, Co Waterford, another crewman on the vessel, whose body was recovered shortly after the boat went down, was buried on Wednesday.
The Irish Marine Emergency Service hopes to be able to resume its shore line search this morning.