Mother of missing man praises ‘amazing’ help
Bernie Mccusker tells Jessica Campbell ‘the more eyes we have on lough’ the better in search for son
THE mother of Michael Mcgirr, who has been missing since October 29, has shared her gratefulness to members of the local community and rescue teams who are doing all they can to help find her son as the search continues on Lough Erne.
Speaking to The Impartial Reporter this week, Michael’s mother, Bernie Mccusker, said that her main focus now is finding her son.
“The search is still ongoing, unfortunately. I’m trying not to think about it, and trying just to focus on finding him. That’s the main focus now,” she told this newspaper.
Michael was last seen in Enniskillen on the afternoon of Saturday, October 29.
It is believed he was travelling in the direction of Inish Davar Island, Lower Lough Erne aboard a creamcoloured 19ft Sheelin boat, which had a brown stripe.
On October 30, the boat Michael had been travelling on was located, but he was not on board.
Search
The PSNI, RNLI, Lough Neagh Rescue and Foyle Search and Rescue are among the organisations involved in the search for Michael, as well as members of the local community.
Grateful for the help of the local community and rescue organisations in the search for her son, Bernie said: “It’s been a great support. People are actually getting out and searching the land and by water.”
Bernie continued: “We’ve had lots of offers of help and people are actually following up on their offers and going here and there, checking, getting their binoculars out, looking on the jetties if they’re not good at walking, and walking the shores if they are used to walking.
“It’s been amazing. People have been so kind,” she said, acknowledging how people have been offering the use of boats and other vessels to aid in the search.
Explaining how the community search is being co-ordinated, Bernie said there is a base set up at the Lough Erne Yacht Club, Killadeas, adding: “The Yacht Club have been absolutely amazing in letting us use their facilities,” she said.
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We’re trying to motivate people to come out and look, because the more eyes we have on the lough, the better the chance we have of finding him
Appealing to more members of the public to help in the search, Bernie continued: “We’re trying to motivate people to come out and look, because the more eyes we have on the lough, the better the chance we have of finding him.
“The best way for people to help is if they’ve got a boat, or the means to go out on the water, to look from that.
“If they don’t have the means to go out on the water, then walk the shores, walk the jetties. If they have any binoculars, that would be useful.
“Just walk and keep watching the water to make sure he doesn’t go past without us seeing him,” she said, going on to outline the general search areas.
“On the water, it’s from Carr Island on Lower Lough Erne, upwards to Ballyshannon.
“If it’s by the shores, it’s from Castle Hume up, on the western shore, and the Rossahilly area on the eastern shore.
“If we’re not out looking for him, we’ll not find him,” she told this newspaper.