Sonar gifted in honour of Joby Murphy

Published Friday, 03 August 2012
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The family of a young Belfast man who drowned in the River Lagan have gifted a special piece of sonar equipment to the Community Rescue Service.

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Joby Murphy, who was 20, died in January after falling into the water on a night out.

His body was found after a month of searching with help from sonar detection equipment brought up from Co Cork, as there was none in Northern Ireland.

Joby's family raised £41,000 to provide the state-of-the-art piece of kit for Belfast Harbour where it will now be available for the first time.

They hope it will prevent others facing the agonizing wait they had to endure.

"It will quicken up the process," Joe Murphy, Joby's father, told UTV.

"Rather than looking and looking day after day - 31 days we waited - we reckon if we had of had the sonar we would have got him possibly the next day.

"It would make a big, big difference to families."

Donations towards the new camera came from members of the public - and the band Snow Patrol, who Joby had seen that night, contributed £10,000.

Sean McCarry, Regional Commander at the Community Rescue Service, said Belfast now has the most sophiscated piece of kit available for such emergencies.

"Out of tragedy has come a positive of the delivery of this sonar equipment," he told UTV.

"In a matter of months they raised the funds that were necessary from the family and wider circle of friends in about four months and have now been able to use that funding to deliver the most up to date, sophisticated sonar in the world to Northern Ireland.

"It's amazing."

The sonar search team is to be known by Joby's nickname - the Meerkat - and will be tested out in local waters next week.

© UTV News
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4 Comments
Frosty in Here wrote (289 days ago):
A truly humane gesture from the Murphy family and one which I'd hope will never need be used and I'm sorry for their tragic loss. My own son is only 11, but I have started to educate him on the dangers of drink and drugs, the ruin and death of many's a good person. My heartfelt condolences and thanks to the Murphys for the loss of a loved one and for their noble gesture. God bless you all.
james in newtownards wrote (291 days ago):
what a wonderful gesture by this family, it just shows that they are decent people thinking of trying to help someone else.
Iseult in NI wrote (291 days ago):
I think it's wonderful that the Murphy family have raised the money to provide this much-needed piece of equipment, it will undoubtedly be very useful in future searches. It seems a very fitting thing to do in memory of Joby.
darren in belfast wrote (292 days ago):
Sad news but in away the family got their son home....and with this gift to help resolve any matters that this gift can help with is with his help
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