Noah Donohoe Inquest: Testimony Details Harsh Conditions in Storm Drain Search

As the inquest into the tragic death of Noah Donohoe continues at Belfast Coroner’s Court, new testimony has shed light on the difficult conditions faced during the search operation in 2020. Retired inspector Menary, who led a specialist search team, described the environment within the underground storm drain system as "freezing cold" and "absolutely horrendous." He told the jury that the physical exertion required to move through the tunnels, which run from Northwood Linear Park to areas beneath the Seaview football pitch, would have been immense.

During his testimony, the retired officer reflected on the "heartbreaking" nature of the search, explaining that the water levels and low temperatures would have caused rapid disorientation. He noted that even with professional protective gear, the conditions were punishing, making the thought of a young person in the tunnels without such equipment particularly distressing. At the time the search of the culvert resumed on June 25, 2020, officials were looking for any evidence of Noah's whereabouts, though they initially had no direct proof that he had entered the drain system.

The court also heard about the atmosphere in Northwood Linear Park during the early days of the search. On March 24, 2020, hundreds of local residents gathered in the park, driven by a desire to help find the missing teenager. While the majority of the crowd was well-meaning, the sheer volume of people and the high level of emotion on-site meant that police search teams were delayed by over an hour as they worked to clear the area to begin their inspection of the tunnel entrance.

These updates provide a clearer picture of the scale and difficulty of the efforts to find Noah in the days following his disappearance. The inquest continues to examine the circumstances surrounding the event, providing the North Belfast community with important details about the search operations that took place in our local parks and infrastructure.