Fishing trip tragedy pair named
A fishing trip ended in tragedy today when a retired lecturer and his son-in-law drowned off the coast of Co Donegal.
The pair were named tonight as Thomas Boyd, 69, and 42-year-old John January, a senior fire officer in Derry.
Mr Boyd was from the city’s Waterside, while Mr January lived at Abbeydale, also Derry.
They left their homes at breakfast time today and later set off in their 10ft boat from the pier at Ards Friary in south west Donegal.
A search began in mid-afternoon after a jet skier reported seeing one body in the water in Sheephaven Bay, near the seaside village of Downings.
A rescue helicopter from neighbouring Co Sligo and local coastguards took part in the search.
The search was extended for several hours because of fears that a third person could have been with the dead men but later that was discounted and the search was halted.
The bodies were found after debris was spotted scattered in the water around a small boat which was also recovered.
The incident marked the second sea tragedy in the area in less than a month. On April 12, the body of a man who had gone missing the previous day was found off Melmore Head.
Taxi driver Chris Chrysafidis, 26, disappeared while walking his dog at Downings, the scene of today’s incident.
Mr Chrysafidis had been holidaying in the area with his partner, and the alarm was raised when the dog returned unaccompanied to the couple’s holiday home.
