A Ghanaian fisherman, who died in a tragic accident off the Cork coast earlier this week, will be repatriated to his home country.
Moses Odonkor, 53, sustained fatal injuries aboard a trawler on Monday while working off the Porcupine Bank near the Blasket Islands.
Despite the desperate efforts of his crewmates to assist him, Mr. Odonkor was pronounced dead before emergency services could intervene. Following the incident, the trawler immediately returned to Castletownbere.
Originally from Ghana, Mr. Odonkor had lived in Ireland for over 20 years, most recently residing in Skibbereen. He is survived by his wife, Philomena, and sons, Isaac and Emmanuel. The family had already endured a tragedy in 2023 when his two-year-old son, Joshua, tragically passed away after choking on a grape.
A prayer service was held for Mr. Odonkor at Hurley & O’Sullivan’s Funeral Home in Skibbereen this afternoon, shortly before 3 p.m..
A notice on RIP.ie confirmed that he will be repatriated to Ghana at a later date.
It is believed that Mr. Odonkor sustained critical injuries while heavy nets were being deployed into the fishing grounds. He was immediately rendered unresponsive, and efforts by his crewmates to revive him were unsuccessful.
The accident occurred within Irish territorial waters, and authorities are treating it as a tragic workplace accident.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed that the Marine Casualty Investigation Unit, Marine Survey Office, Health and Safety Authority, and the local coroner had all been notified. Gardaí were first alerted to the incident by the Coast Guard, who received direct communication from the vessel.
Niall Duffy, chairman of the Lost At Sea charity, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, extending sympathies to Mr. Odonkor’s family and fellow crewmates.
“On behalf of the fishing community, I want to extend our sympathies to the family and his fellow crewmates on the tragic loss of a respected and well-liked crewman,” he said.
The Lost At Sea charity provides support to those affected by maritime tragedies.
