Fisherman ‘lost his life doing what he loved’

A fisherman who died after his boat ran aground off the Irish coast has been named locally as Kevin McCloskey from County Donegal.

His body was found by a fishing crew on Saturday evening after an intensive three-day search operation led by the Irish Coast Guard.

Mr McCloskey was a former chairman of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) and it has described his death as a “tragedy for the whole fishing community”.

It said he “lost his life doing what he loved, fishing”, adding that he was “noted for his positive outlook on life”.

Mr McCloskey served as KFO’s chairman in 2002 and he was also a former board member.

The organisation said he was “a respected and experienced fisherman” having worked all his life in the industry.

Mr McCloskey had been missing since Thursday.

A member of the public raised the alarm at about 20:00 local time (20:00 BST) that evening after spotting a boat aground with its engine still running off Cliffoney Beach in County Sligo.

The emergency services then began a multi-agency search with the rescue co-ordination centre based in Malin Head, County Donegal.

An Irish Coast Guard helicopter from Sligo was deployed in the operation along with RNLI lifeboats and a number of merchant vessels and local boats.

His body was recovered off the port village of Teelin on the County Donegal coast just before 18:00 local time on Saturday.

The discovery was made by a local fishing vessel which was involved in the search.

The Coast Guard sent its sympathy to Mr McCloskey’s family.

It also thanked “all the search units and local fishing vessels, An Garda Siochana (Irish police) along with the community for their support throughout the search”.

The KFO also thanked the search teams, saying: “Recovery at least brings some closure to what is a tragedy for the whole fishing community.”