Published Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Joseph was last seen falling into the water near the Odyssey complex last week, after he attended the Snow Patrol concert with his girlfriend Karen McKeever.
He walked to the bridge at the Lagan Weir alone and a security guard spotted the north Belfast man falling from the rail of the bridge of the Lagan Weir at around 1am on Thursday.
Police divers and rescue teams are searching the water to find Joseph and on Tuesday sonar equipment was brought over from England to help with the operation.
Joseph's father Joe said his greatest fear is that they will not recover a body.
"Everybody was just devastated," he said. "He was always smiling.
"I don't know how I'm coping. I just hope today with the sonar we can get some closure."
Karen and Joseph, who had been dating for two years, went to a nightclub after the concert. She last saw Joel refusing to get into a taxi.
"I can't believe it, but we're not giving up hope. It's dragging out so long," she told UTV.
"Joseph would never take his own life; he's done a lot of suicide prevention.
"It's just too much to drink."
Joseph's family have created a shrine at the bridge and are holding a round the clock vigil in the hope that his body will be found.
Searches are expected to continue for at least another week and a half.