NEARLY £40,000 has been raised to help the family and friends conduct a private search for three fishermen who went missing off Conwy Quay.

Carl McGrath, 34, Ross Ballantine 39, and Alan Minard, 20 went missing from Rhos-on-Sea Harbour on January 27. A major two-day search and rescue operation was carried for the men on January 28 and 29.

Last week, the Pioneer reported that the huge fundraising drive, to raise £75,000, had been launched.

It is hoped David Mearns, an American marine scientist and oceanographer, can join the hunt; Mr Mearns found wreckage of the plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala in 2019.

A probe into the disappearance of the vessel is being carried out by the UK Government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

Giving an update on Friday, March 5, a spokesperson from the MAIB said: "The liferaft for fishing vessel Nicola Faith which went missing off the coast of Colwyn Bay on January 27 has been recovered.

"The raft was found off the coast of Kirkcudbrightshire by HM Coastguard and has been positively identified by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch as being from the Nicola Faith. The raft will be transported to the MAIB in Southampton for further investigation and analysis.

"The investigation into the causes and circumstances surrounding the vessel’s loss is ongoing.

"The search for the vessel, which is being co-ordinated by the MAIB, is continuing. The MAIB has been working with underwater search experts to cover a wide area including all of the vessel’s historic operating area.

"The next of kin have been informed of this development."

It has been more than a month since the men, and vessel the Nicola Faith, went missing.

A statement on the fundraising page said: "Not knowing is one of the hardest parts to deal with as it leaves the families with so many unanswered questions.

"Closure is critical to enable the family’s to move forward, remember the good times rather than worry about what happened on that fateful day.

"The search will not be cheap hence the fundraising target but every little will help. We will make sure it does.

"Any remaining funds after we find them will be used towards a memorial in honour of the men, the local community and three broken families."

Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr Mearns said: "So far I've been providing the families with technical advice about how to search for the boat and the best way to raise the funding to pay for it."

Anyone that wishes to donate, can visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/findthenicolafaith

More than 2,000 people have given their backing to the fundraiser.