Mayo Civil Defence – Missing Persons Search Operation – January 2014

28 January 2014

Mayo Civil Defence was activated at 11.45am on Thursday 23rd January by Castlebar Gardaí to assist with a missing persons search on Lough Lannagh/ Town River area of Castlebar.

A briefing took place with Gardaí at Lough Lannagh at 1.30pm. Civil Defence set up its Command Unit with eight Volunteer members present. A boat was launched to search the lake and river. A ground crew searched the banks of the lake and the bank of the town river.

Civil Defence searched the river from Castlebar to Turlough village on the morning of Friday 24th January, at the request of the Gardaí. Civil Defence Officer (CDO), Rose Doherty and 11 Volunteer members met at 9am, a search plan was formalised and crews travelled to Turlough village to commence the search. Command and Control was established at the Museum of Country Life, Turlough. Ground-crew and a boat were deployed to search the river in the direction of Castlebar. The operation was complete at 1.30pm having reached the Barrack Bridge area of Castlebar. The CDO liaised with the Gardaí throughout the operation.

Garda Officers highly commended Civil Defence for their timely, professional and effective response.

The missing man’s body was recovered by the Garda Sub Aqua Unit on Friday afternoon.