An inquest at Belfast Coroner's Court heard that the Police Service of Northern Ireland initially classified 14-year-old Noah Donohoe's disappearance on a Sunday in June 2020 as voluntary. The schoolboy had left home on his bike intending to meet friends near Cave Hill in north Belfast. His body was recovered six days later from a water tunnel more than 600 metres downstream from a culvert entrance near Northwood Road and the M2 motorway. A post-mortem determined the cause of death as drowning.

Sergeant Barry Hutchings, the lead police search adviser, testified that investigators started with limited information and focused initial efforts on Cave Hill and Belfast streets. He noted details including a report that the boy had fallen heavily from his bike and concerns from his mother about his mental health. Hutchings also mentioned early notes on possible inconsistencies in CCTV footage, stressing the need for confirmation to avoid misguided efforts.

On Tuesday after the disappearance, Hutchings visited Northwood Road where the bike was found and discovered an unsecured hatch on a nearby culvert in Linear Park. He tasked a specialised team to search the hazardous underground tunnel on June 23, using cameras and officers despite risks from confined spaces, gases, slips and water. The search paused multiple times due to high water levels before a diving team continued.

Hutchings stated the body was located at around 10am on June 27. He described the operation as methodical from the last sighting point and conducted as quickly and safely as conditions allowed. He requested a Criminal Investigation Department review and a family liaison officer.

Owen McGivern from the Department for Infrastructure testified that conditions inside the culvert turned to complete darkness beyond the first 10 to 20 metres. He explained gases could form when silt is disturbed but noted no alarms during his visits. The inquest, now in its sixth week with a jury, included a site visit by jurors on Monday.