Two missing in Fermanagh as boat overturns
RTE News - Saturday, 4 August 2007 21:04

A major land and sea search for two fishermen missing after their boat overturned on Lower Lough Erne has been scaled down tonight.

The search began near Devenish Island, Co Fermanagh after the alarm was raised around 11.00 am this morning by a couple on board a cruiser who saw two men in the water. Their 16-foot boat had capsized and it has since been located.

A search around Devenish Island was coordinated by Belfast Coastguard and involved a PSNI helicopter and the Irish Coastguard Rescue helicopter as well as coastguard rescue teams.

The helicopter search has now been stood down, while a shoreside and water surface search including the police dog unit and locals has also been completed.

A team of divers from Boyne Rescue and Recovery Service also carried out a dive.

Erne fishermen bodies recovered
RTE News - Sunday, 5 August 2007 23:02

The bodies of the two fishermen reported missing after their boat overturned on lower Lough Erne have been recovered.

The alarm was raised shortly before midday yesterday after a couple on board a cruiser spotted two male occupants of a small fishing boat in the water.

A team of divers from Boyne Rescue and Recovery Service recovered both bodies by 4.30pm.

RTE NEWS VIDEO CLIP - Brendan Wright reports that bodies of the two fishermen reported missing have been recovered

Two bodies recovered from lough
BBC News - Sunday, 5 August 2007

The bodies of two men have been recovered from Lough Erne in County Fermanagh. They were Declan Swift, 47, from Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, and Martin Steele, 48, from Mullaghdun, County Down.

They were on a small fishing boat which capsized near Devenish Island on lower Lough Erne shortly after midday on Saturday. It is understood that they were fully clothed and did not have life jackets.

Divers recovered the men's bodies on Sunday. The small fishing boat in which the men were travelling had been recovered earlier.

SDLP assembly member Tommy Gallagher said there was a sense of disbelief that two experienced fishermen had drowned. "It is very strange and that is adding to the shock and the sadness throughout the community.

"They were regarded as experienced fishermen and boat men and Declan Swift, in particular, was known as a very experienced man on the River Erne," he said. "That is adding to the shock and people are wondering how this happened."

Police want to hear from anyone who saw a green 16-foot open fishing boat which left Enniskillen on Saturday morning.

A PSNI helicopter and an Irish Coastguard helicopter took part in Saturday's search along with the RNLI. A police boat and Enniskillen inshore lifeboat also attended.