Rescue boats hit by thieves
POTENTIAL SEARCH OPERATIONS PUT AT RISK AFTER ENGINES WORTH THOUSANDS STOLEN
■ Johnny Mullett, Cllr. Victor Furness and Mick Malone with the rescue boat.
ENGINES worth thousands of euro have been callously stolen from New Ross Search and Rescue's two most vital boats – seriously hampering any potential search operations. Another engine, from a privatelyowned craft, was also taken in the same incident at the Three Sisters Marina at the weekend. The culprits are believed to have left the scene in one of the Search and Rescue vessels, which was cut from its moorings at the marina and later found abandoned up-river, with its engine missing.
The loss of the engines – with a combined value of some €6,000 – has been described by spokesman Victor Furness as 'the worst thing' to have happened the Search and Rescue group in its 20 years of operation. 'We are now down just two boats,' added Victor Furness. 'These boats are the backbone of all our searches, and if anything happens now, our efforts will be severely hampered.'
Replacement engines will need to be bought if the stolen ones are not soon returned or recovered. While the Search and Rescue group has funding in place to cover the estimated €6,000 cost, this money had been earmarked for covering the cost of future search operations and also to go towards the provision of a new base on the quay in the town.
'I am gutted at how anyone can be so heartless to do this,' said Victor Furness. 'We are an entirely voluntary group and we depend on the generosity of the people of the town to finance us. I am appealing to the person or people who did this to return the engines immediately.'
Gardai are also appealing for the return of the engines, as well as for information from anybody who may have seen suspicious activity around the marina between Friday evening and Saturday morning. All information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.
- ELAINE FURLONG
