VIDEO: Englishman killed in Wexford boating tragedy was visiting extended family
The man who died when a boat capsized off the Wexford coast last night was from Salisbury in England and was visiting relatives in the area, it has emerged.
The 73-year-old man and nine others - seven men, one woman and a teenage boy - were swept into the sea after their 18ft leisure boat overturned in choppy water when a breaking wave stove in the windows in the wheelhouse and swamped the vessel.
They were in the water for up to five hours before they were found and taken from the sea.
"Thankfully, all 10 were wearing lifejackets, which was crucial given the time they had spent in the water," said Aidan Bates, Kilmore Quay RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat press officer.
"The party had (also) done the right thing in letting someone know when they were due back and thankfully as a result of that the alarm was able to be raised," he added.
All 10 were taken on board the ferry with one man, aged 73, transferred to a lifeboat before being airlifted to Waterford University Hospital in a critical condition. He was later pronounced dead
Several of the other family members were suffering from shock and were treated for the effects of hypothermia.
The group had gone on a fishing trip from Co Wexford when the accident happened off the Saltee Islands yesterday evening.
Someone who knew the party had gone fishing at 4pm and were due back before sunset raised the alarm with Kilmore Quay RNLI when they failed to return.
Fethard RNLI and the Saltee Islands passenger ferry An Crossan joined the search and rescue operation, which was launched at 11.30pm.
It is understood the group could be heard in the water shouting after the lights on board a ferry helping with the search went out briefly during the search and rescue.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this incident and we would like to wish them all a speedy recovery from their ordeal," said the RNLI's Aidan Bates.
