Two Divers from the Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service were involved in the salvage operation to raise two fishing trawlers off Hook Head on the Wexford coast last week.

Thomas Daly and Dave Freeburn were part of the salvage team that raised the Maggie B, which sank with the loss of two lives last year. The second sunken trawler, the Pere Charles, which sank in January with the loss of five lives was also brought to the surface during the week.

Salvage operation to raise trawlers
RTE NEWS - Sunday, 4 November 2007
Salvage operations are continuing off Hook Head on the Wexford coast to raise two trawlers which sank in the past 18 months.
The first boat which is due to be raised is the Maggie B, which sank with the loss of two lives last year. The salvage contractors have positioned a large 400 tonne floating crane over the wreck site and lifting operations may begin this evening. The second sunken trawler, the Pere Charles, which sank in January with the loss of five lives, may be raised from the seabed over the next 48 hours. Weather conditions are said to be good.

Maggie B raised from seabed
RTE NEWS - Monday, 5 November 2007
The Maggie B, the fishing trawler which sank a year and a half ago off the Wexford coast with the loss of two lives, has been successfully raised from the seabed. The 15m vessel has been towed to Dunmore East. It was searched by gardaí later but the remains of skipper Glynn Cott or his crewmate Jan Sanqowski were not found on board. The salvage operation to raise another trawler, the Pere Charles, is expected to begin tomorrow afternoon. It sank in January with the deaths of five fishermen.

Pere Charles salvage operation resumes
RTE NEWS - Tuesday, 6 November 2007
The Pere Charles will be lifted from the seabed within the next 24 hours following an agreement on the trawler salvage plan. The Coastguard and salvage company came to an agreement during talks in Dunmore East this morning and the operation resumed this afternoon.Salvage contractors say they are making slow but steady progress in their attempts to raise the trawler.
The Pere Charles sank off Hook Head in January this year and claimed the lives of all five fishermen on board. The fishing trawler is currently lying upside down, 35m below the surface, on the seabed off the Wexford coast. The dispute centred on how best to raise the vessel, with the salvage company wishing to raise the boat in its upside down position. The Coastguard had approved a plan to turn the boat while it was on the seabed before raising it. Amid fears that any delay could stall the operation, the salvage company complained of unhelpful interference from the Coastguard. However, it is understood the salvage company will now try to right the boat before attempting to raise it to the surface. If this is not possible, the boat may have to be towed underwater to shallower ground before being righted.
A second fishing vessel was successfully raised from the seabed yesterday and taken to Dunmore East. The Maggie B sank last year with the loss of two lives. However, a preliminary search of the raised boat by garda divers found no evidence of bodies on board.

Pere Charles salvage operation resumes
RTE NEWS - Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Dive operations at the wreck of the Pere Charles have resumed after being suspended for nearly nine hours. The salvage contractors, who were hoping to raise the 19m trawler overnight, were forced by bad weather to suspend operations this morning as it was too dangerous for the divers.
The Pere Charles sank in January off Hook Head with the loss of five lives. The bodies have never been found. The boat is lying upside down, 35m below the surface, and the salvage operation is said to be a difficult one. The contractors had managed to get the boat lifted around 3m from the seabed and had secured lifting slings and a form of chicken wire to stop anything falling out when the boat is eventually overturned. The boat is now back on the sea bed but it is hoped to have it righted within the next few hours, if the weather stays fine. The vessel will then be towed towards the Waterford coast to shallower water where it should be raised to the surface, all going well.

Pere Charles raised to surface
RTE NEWS - Thursday, 8 November 2007
The wreck of the trawler Pere Charles has been raised to the surface around 1km off the Waterford coast. Salvage contractors successfully raised the wreck of the sunken vessel this afternoon. Coastguard officials say it appears the boat was badly damaged when it sank. A preliminary search has taken place and Coastguard officers say it appears at this stage there are no bodies on board. They are stressing that this is only a preliminary search. The boat is being pumped out, after which a more thorough search will be conducted. Family members are being brought out to the wreck site.
Earlier the operation suffered a setback as salvage operators had to return the trawler to the seabed after technical issues developed in the lifting process. The salvage contractors had hoped to raise the 19m trawler last night but bad weather forced them to suspend operations as it was too dangerous for the divers. The vessel was towed into shallower water near Dunmore East last night. The Pere Charles sank in January off Hook Head with the loss of five lives.

No bodies found on board trawlers
RTE NEWS - Monday, 12 November 2007
Gardaí have now officially concluded their searches and examinations of the two trawlers raised last week off the Co Wexford Coast. None of the remains of the seven men were found on board either the Pere Charles or the Maggie B. The Pere Charles sank in January off Hook Head with the loss of five lives and the Maggie B also sank that month with the loss of two lives.