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The community of Newlyn was in mourning this week after popular local
fisherman Mark Jose was reported missing, presumed drowned. Mr Jose, aged
42, leaves two young children and a partner, Emma Jarvis, who is expecting
their child.
He was an engineer aboard the 30ft netter Sabre.
The search for Mr Jose, known as Josie by his friends and workmates,
was called off 18 hours after the boat sank. Rescuers said that he had
been wearing oilskins and could not have expected to survive in the freezing
waters.
It fell to Tony Woodhams, branch chairman of the Royal National Mission
to Deep Sea Fishermen at Newlyn, to inform Emma.
"She is absolutely devastated," he said. "Everyone has
been hoping for good news, but the search for Mark was discontinued at
1pm on Sunday, which would have been around 18 hours after he was last
seen in the water. This is a terrible tragedy and the whole community
is suffering."
Mr Woodhams said Mark was "a respected member of the Newlyn fishing
community, an accomplished fisherman and a good engineer".
Mr Woodhams spent the day on Sunday with the families of the three fishermen.
"It has been a weekend of mixed feelings," he said. "On
the one hand it was wonderful news when we all learnt that two of the
fishermen had been found alive and well, but then the tragic news about
the search being called off for Mark had to be broken to his partner."
Newlyn Skipper Mick Mahon paid tribute to the missing man. "I never
sailed with Josie, but he always had a smile, was always there with a
quip and a bit of humour," he said.
"He was the type of person who would go out of his way to lend a
hand and help you out on the quay if he saw you needed help."
Andrew Munson, Penlee lifeboat operations manager and Newlyn harbourmaster,
said: "I have known Mark since he was a boy. He was a good boy, very
friendly and he would help anyone. There is a very sombre mood here in
Newlyn at the moment. The crew of the Penlee Lifeboat are shook up in
more ways than one.
"Mark was well known to many of them and the fact that they have
been unable to find him has been difficult for the crew to come to terms
with."
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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