The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has confirmed that it has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of an island fisherman off the west coast earlier this month.
John Burke (57) of Middle Quarter, Inishbofin, Co Galway was reported missing several days before his body was recovered at Cloonamore on the island in the early hours of July 4th.
Burke was known as an experienced inshore fisherman and farmer, who was devoted to his wife Mary and to his dog, Rebel.
A search had been initiated when he failed to return to shore, involving the island community and local boats, the Irish Coast Guard Rescue 118 from Sligo and RNLI Clifden’s two lifeboats.
His boat was found overturned not far from where his body was located off the island’s northern coastline. His dog, Rebel, has been with him and swam ashore.
Tributes paid to Burke on website rip.ie described him as kind and gentle, good humoured with a great welcome for visitors to the island.
One contributor recalled great memories of trips with Burke to neighbouring islands Davillaun and Inis Áirc to gather up sheep, and Burke won a sheep-shearing contest in Co Wicklow.
Expressing sympathies to Burke’s family, Fianna Fáil Galway West TD Eamon Ó Cuív described the loss as “a tragedy for all the people of Inishbofin… a very close-knit community”.
Local politician Gerry King, who is a councillor for the Connemara North area, said he was “a gentleman to deal with and to work with” who was very involved in the island’s fishing and farming communities.
John Draper, divisional controller at the Irish Coast Guard’s Valentia co-ordination centre in Kerry, said that sea conditions were relatively rough on the night that Burke had failed to return.
“We don’t know what occurred with the incident,” Draper told RTÉ Radio 1’s News at One programme.
After his body was found, it was flown by Irish Coast Guard helicopter to Inishbofin and then taken by RNLI lifeboat to Clifden. It was then taken to University Hospital, Galway for a post mortem.
His funeral took place in St Colman’s church, Inishbofin, with burial afterwards.
John Burke is survived by his wife Mary, brother Tommy, sisters Mary and Ann, and extended family, including nine grand-nieces and nephews.
His family paid tribute to the Inishbofin community and the emergency services, including the Irish Coast Guard, RNLI and Garda, “for their search and rescue efforts and for getting John home”.
