Gardaí are still trying to establish a motive for the attack and have appealed for witnesses to come forward. Picture: Ellen O'Regan
Divers are searching a section of the River Lee for a weapon they believe was used in a vicious and unprovoked stabbing attack in Cork City centre.
Video footage of the assault on the boardwalk on Grand Parade shows the hooded attacker flinging a suspected weapon into the river just moments after the attack on Wednesday afternoon.
Divers began the search at low tide at lunchtime on Thursday as investigations into the assault continue.
The injured man, aged 25, with an address on the southside of the city, is still receiving medical attention in Cork University Hospital for severe facial lacerations and slash wounds to his torso.
He underwent emergency treatment on Wednesday but it is expected he will require further surgery given the extent of his injuries.
Detectives are waiting for medical clearance before speaking to him.
The man was among a group of people who were sitting on the boardwalk overlooking the southern channel of the River Lee when he was attacked at about 5pm on Wednesday.
It appears he was in a verbal argument with someone in the group just moments before another man, wearing dark clothing and a hoodie, approached them.
The attacker walked calmly towards the victim, who was sitting on the ground, before slashing him repeatedly about the face and upper body and then flinging the weapon into the river.
The attacker walked away before breaking into a run towards the city library as two men in the group pursued him.
Emergency services were alerted and the injured man was taken to CUH. The area was sealed off for a technical and forensic examination.
Gardaí are still trying to establish a motive for the attack. They are also examining CCTV footage from the area and have appealed to witnesses, especially anyone who captured video of the incident, to contact them at Anglesea St.
Meanwhile, gardaí say they are making good progress in their investigation into an aggravated burglary in the city last weekend in which a young man sustained serious head injuries, and his mother was also injured, by an intruder armed with what’s believed to have been a hammer.
The incident occurred at about 4pm on Saturday when a man forced his way into a property in McCurtain Villas, off College Road.
A man in his 20s, who lives there with his mother, suffered severe head injuries during the incident. His mother, in her 60s, was also assaulted.
The young man was taken to CUH, where his condition was described as critical. His condition has since improved.
His mother was also brought to CUH for treatment for what were described as non-life threatening injuries.
Gardaí have again urged anyone who was in the area between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on Saturday, especially anyone with camera footage, to contact Anglesea Garda Station on 021-452 2000.
Read MoreMan hospitalised after alleged assault on Cork's South Mall
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