Raising The Rising Sun

The government decision to raise The Rising Sun in a final effort to recover the body of Pat Colfer is a profligate waste of public money. Doubtless the exercise will cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of taxpayers euros while also involving some risk for those working on the salvage operation.

The initial tragedy of the sinking with the loss of 2 crew members has already been compounded by the death of a very experienced volunteer diver, Billy O‘Connor.

I’m frankly bewildered by the attitude of the family and the dozens of sub-aqua divers who volunteered their services and have been highly critical of the naval services for not allowing them risk further lives looking for the dead bodies. This might have been understandable were it not for the loss of Billy O’Connor on an earlier dive.

While understanding the natural desire of the Colfer family to recover and bury the body of Pat Colfer, it is ridiculous to risk further lives and incur huge expense for the taxpayer in this latest exercise.