Fisherman dies and two crew in hospital after boat capsizes

A FISHERMAN has died after a boat sank off the coast of Co. Mayo yesterday afternoon.

The man, aged in his 50s, was named locally as John Healy. It is believed he was the father of three adult sons and was living with his wife in the Belmullet area of Mayo.

Three men, including Mr Healy, were recovered from a life raft by rescue crews yesterday around 25km off Eagle Island, Co. Mayo, after their vessel capsized.

A mayday signal had been picked up by Malin Head Rescue Coordination centre shortly after 12.30pm.

The Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter and Ballyglass RNLI immediately went to search the area, and were supported by an Air Corps Casa maritime patrol aircraft, which was airborne at the time.

The men were located on a life raft shortly after 1pm when the Coast Guard helicopter spotted flares. The three crew members were recovered from the raft by helicopter and transferred to Sligo University Hospital, where Mr Healy was pronounced dead.

The other two men, both aged in their 20s, were recovering in hospital last night.

It is understood the crew were crab fishing for a wellestablished company in the Belmullet area. Fr Michael Nallen, the parish priest for Kilcommon, told the Irish Daily Mail last night that the accident was a ‘big shock’ for those living in the area.

The local area had already been hit by tragedy last year, when the Rescue 116 helicopter crash occurred off the nearby Black Rock Island.

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman Ciarán Smith all lost their lives in the accident, which occurred in March 2017. The bodies of Mr Ormsby and Mr Smith have yet to be recovered.