Offaly Civil Defence – Search & Recovery Activity – April 2012

19 April 2012

Offaly Civil Defence was activated on Saturday 14th April to assist the Gardaí in the search for a missing lady in the Tullamore area.

Civil Defence Instructors met up on Saturday afternoon to prepare equipment, and to assemble a search team to commence searching Sunday morning 15th April. The Central Fire Station was set up as a search Headquarters where Civil Defence and civilian searchers were assembled and briefed accordingly, by Inspector Kieran Keyes Tullamore Garda Station.

A search area was identified on a map taking in surrounding land and a stretch of the Grand Canal. A total of 25 Civil Defence personnel were accompanied by in excess of 100 civilian searchers during the period of searching. The Garda water unit and Sub Aqua clubs searched a large stretch of the canal. Also present on scene was the Garda dog unit and a member of SARDA dog unit. Hot and cold food was provided throughout the day by the Civil Defence Welfare Unit to all involved in the search operation.

Civil Defence was stood down at 7.45pm. At 11.45pm Civil Defence Officer, Raphael Fallon received a call from the Garda Inspector informing him that missing lady’s body had been recovered in the canal.

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