Search continues for young Cork fisherman: 'The whole community is numbed by this'

A MAJOR search of the sea and coastline continues for a young fisherman missing since Wednesday evening.

Fishing colleagues of popular Kodie Healy, from Goleen, joined with search and rescue services throughout today in a trawl of the Dunmanus Bay area for him.

His family raised the alarm on Wednesday night when he failed to return home after spending the day at sea. He had been due back onshore at 6pm. 

A search got underway from 8.30pm last night after his family raised the alarm with Valentia Coastguard.

The search was stood down late on Wednesday night and got underway again from 7am this morning.

Debris was found in the area of Carbery Island, where the search was concentrated today. 

Emergency services would not confirm if the debris was from the vessel used by Mr Healy.

Members of the Schull and Goleen Coastguard, the Castletownbere Lifeboat, Rescue 115 and the WB Yeats naval vessel have been spearheading a search of the area for the missing fisherman.

Chief executive of the Irish South and South West Fish Producers Organisation, Patrick Murphy, said several fishermen had also joined in the search.

Mr Murphy, who is also involved in the search, said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Fishing is one of the most dangerous professions in the world and this shows again what fishermen do to bring in good quality, uncontaminated food and what risks that are taken to do it."

He added that conditions for searching yesterday were not ideal because of wind and rain.

Mr Healy is well known in the fishing community but also has played with his local GAA club in Goleen.

Independent TD and neighbour Michael Collins said: "The whole community is numbed by this. It is a very sad and sombre time here and our thoughts are with the family. He is very well known locally and this is a very close-knit community."