Lough victim was a father of two

The man who died after falling from a fishing crusier in Lough Neagh on Monday night was Martin Wylie, a father of two from County Tyrone

Mr Wylie had lived by and worked on the lough all his life. He fell as the boat returned to a quay near Ardboe.

The two friends he was with did their best to save him, throwing a lifebelt and trying to turn and get him, but by the time they did, he was gone.

His body was found after a search resumed on Tuesday morning.

Mr Wylie, described as a popular and competent fisherman, had two daughters.

One theory is that he may have slipped on ice at the stern of the boat as he prepared to help tie it up at about 2100 GMT on Monday.

A rescue operation was launched with Coastguard co-ordination, but ended at 2322 GMT with water temperatures dropping to four degrees Celsius.

Scores of locals turned out to help the police and coastguard in the resumed search for Mr Wylie on Tuesday morning.

It was one of the volunteer teams which recovered his body at about 1115 GMT.

Lifeboats

The Lough Neagh Independent Rescue Lifeboats from Ardboe on the western shore and Kinnego in the southern end of the lough were sent by the Coastguard to the area on Monday night and the police helicopter also joined the search.

Shoreline searches were carried out by the Kinnego Coastguard Team along with lifeboat shore crews from Ardboe. Fire crews from Cookstown also joined the search.

Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Steve Palmer said more than a mile of water and shoreline were searched using illumination from the police helicopter.

"Despite the valiant efforts of all concerned we did not manage to find the man who had fallen overboard," he said.

Praise

"I can only praise the efforts of all search units involved and had this person been visible at any time, the units would have probably located him."

Parish priest Father Seamus McGinley said it was "a testing time" for the family.

"There is a feeling of disbelief and devastation, especially at this time of year.

"Coming into the season of Christmas, the thoughts and prayers of the whole community are with the family."

Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles. It has had a voluntary rescue team since 1989.