By Dan Walsh
Salvage operations to recover a sunken fishing vessel in the Waterford Estuary south of Duncannon Pier is taking place today. An exclusion zone of 500m is in force around the crane barge Lara 1 for the duration of the operation and all vessels must keep well clear of the operation and the main shipping channel is closed to all traffic until midnight.

When the recovery operation has been safely completed, the vessel will be towed into Duncannon Harbour where contractors will remove any remaining fish and fuel on-board before it is towed to the boatyard in New Ross, where it is due to be lifted on to land.
Aztec, a fishing vessel from west Cork, sunk near Duncannon, on January 11th and all four fishermen on board were rescued by a Wexford registered fishing vessel that was operating nearby.