A large, joint Ireland–UK air and sea search off the northwest coast for a missing crew member from a British naval vessel has concluded, the UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
A UK naval support ship issued a distress alert near Toraigh Island, Co Donegal, yesterday morning after a crew member, last seen onboard at around 10.30pm on Friday, was reported missing, reports RTE.
Over the previous two days, the Coast Guard, the Navy, RNLI lifeboats, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and other vessels combed the northwestern coastline.
A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence told RTÉ News that “after an extensive search for a missing crew member of a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship’s company, the individual has not been found, and the search has now ended”, reports RTE.
“The individual’s family have been informed, and an investigation is now under way into the incident. No other individuals have been harmed or reported missing,” they said, reports RTE.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), operated by highly trained civilian officers within the Naval Service, provides support to both the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines, reports RTE.
The UK Ministry of Defence stated that the family of the crew member who served on the RFA TIDESURGE has requested privacy, adding that more information will be released after a suitable period.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said it was with deep regret that they confirmed the missing RFA TIDESURGE crew member had not been found following a major search effort, reports RTE.
“My thoughts are with their family during this tragic time, as well as their fellow crew members,” the Defence Secretary said, reports RTE.
A large-scale search and rescue mission, coordinated by the Coast Guard’s Maritime Rescue Sub Centre in Malin, was launched immediately after the service member was declared missing yesterday morning.
The UK naval vessel was positioned near Toraigh Island when the Coast Guard’s Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Malin Head received a distress alert shortly before 9am yesterday for the crew member last seen around 10.30pm on Friday, reports RTE.
This morning, the LÉ George Bernard Shaw searched northwest of Toraigh, while HMS Somerset and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel conducted searches northwest of Mayo.
The coordinated overnight search was carried out between Oileán Toraigh and Oileán sa Tuaidh in Co Mayo, reports RTE.
Yesterday’s aerial search involved the Irish Coast Guard’s fixed-wing aircraft Rescue 120F from Shannon Airport, the Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118, and the Irish Air Corps CASA 284.
Three RNLI all-weather lifeboats from An Baile Glas, Árainn Mhór and Lough Swilly assisted yesterday along with other vessels, reports RTE.
Árainn Mhór and Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboats searched west and northwest of Donegal, while An Baile Glas RNLI covered the northwest of the Erris Peninsula.
The UK Defence Secretary said he was “hugely grateful to the Irish authorities, the RNLI, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy who have responded rapidly to this incident and have worked tirelessly on the search”, reports RTE.
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