AS THE search continued off the southwest coast yesterday for a missing Egyptian fisherman, a leading maritime union representative said it was “long past time” for the Government to address the rights of non-Irish seafarers working in Irish waters.
The Egyptian in his 30s, who was a crewman on the 23-metre vessel Janireh, was reported to have fallen overboard about 11 miles southwest of Fastnet lighthouse on Saturday.
The Naval Service patrol ship LE Emerco-ordinated the search, along with an Irish Coast Guard helicopter, RNLI lifeboats from Baltimore and Castletownbere and local fishing vessels.
The Irish-registered vessel was towed subsequently to Baltimore harbour with a disabled propeller.
The search resumed at first light yesterday. Additional assistance was offered by an Air Corps Casa maritime patrol aircraft and the search area was expanded to 300 square miles.
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Irish representative Ken Fleming of Siptu said that he had heard of the news of the missing fisherman with “great sadness”.
“We have been aware that large numbers of seafarers have been working in Ireland for the past two years from countries such as the Philippines and, more recently, Egypt,” he said.
