Inquest Reveals Tunnel Where Noah Donohoe Was Found Filled with Sea Water
An inquest into the death of schoolboy Noah Donohoe has revealed that the location where his body was discovered would have been filled with sea water on the night he disappeared.
Noah's body was located in a tidal section of an underground drainage tunnel six days after he went missing.
The discovery occurred over 600 metres downstream from the point where the 14-year-old was last seen near a culvert inlet behind houses on Northwood Road in north Belfast.
Jonathan McKee, representing the Department for Infrastructure, informed the hearing that the tidal area near the M2 motorway would have been "substantially or completely filled with sea water" from 22:00 BST on 21 June 2020, the day Noah disappeared.
McKee also detailed that the department had been contacted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) hazardous environment team during the search for Noah, seeking information about "likely places for someone to end up if they were washed down the culvert."
The witness further explained that maintenance of the drainage system before Noah's disappearance complied with industry standards.
Regarding the area around the culvert inlet, close to where Noah was last seen, McKee stated,
"this is not an area of abandoned land".
He described that site inspections had been conducted at least weekly.
Additionally, McKee noted that departmental records from 2016 until Noah's death contained no indications that residents or elected officials had expressed concerns about unauthorized access to the site.
This position was supported by the absence of graffiti, litter, or signs of anti-social behaviour near the culvert inlet.
The witness also explained that the steel bar screen at the site serves to control debris flowing from an adjoining stream.
'Risk Associated with Locking Hatches'
McKee stated there is no requirement to lock a hatch on a debris screen, as an unlocked hatch allows maintenance workers to open it if debris accumulates or flooding occurs.
He added that an unlocked hatch can also enable someone trapped inside to escape.
"There's actually a risk associated with locking hatches."
Following Noah's death, concerns were raised that he might have gained entry to the culvert through the unlocked hatch at the inlet.
Noah was last seen running behind houses on Northwood Road, where back gardens border the waste ground containing the culvert inlet.
McKee explained that only residents of four local homes were known to have access to the area around the culvert inlet.
He said these residents were "more alive and aware" of any risks than the general public.
"The site wouldn't have been regarded as being accessible to the general public,"he added.
A barrister for the coroner asked if the department had considered regularly liaising with local families about potential risks at the site.
McKee responded that while the department had considered this, it could not be done in isolation at one location.
He explained that there are hundreds of similar sites across Northern Ireland, and if such communication were implemented at one location, it would need to be extended to all, creating administrative and logistical challenges potentially involving thousands of people.
Locks Installed on All Culvert Hatches After Noah's Death
The witness also revealed that during the search for Noah, a lock on a security gate at another side of the culvert inlet, adjacent to a public park, was cut—apparently with an angle grinder—and approximately 40 to 50 people entered the site.
He further explained that locks were installed on all culvert hatches following Noah Donohoe's death.
McKee stated this measure was necessary because people, including media personnel, were visiting the site and other locations, making locked or unlocked culvert hatches a matter of public interest.
This increased the risk at various sites, and there were concerns about potential copy-cat incidents.
However, he noted that the issue remains under review.
During his testimony to the jury and coroner, Mr Justice Rooney, McKee said it "was not possible to manage risk down to zero."
He added that there are "no doubts" about hazards existing within the culvert.
When asked if he accepted that the culvert inlet was located in a densely populated urban area, McKee responded that it was "located in a piece of land that couldn't be accessed by the general public."
