A brother and a sister have died after getting into trouble while swimming in the sea.
They drowned at Ballybunion beach in Co Kerry, Northern Ireland, after the alarm was sounded.
The pair were pronounced dead after being found following full-scale search and rescue operation. They both got into difficulty in the water, which according to locals, has a notorious off-shore current.
The Coast Guard Helicopter R115, Ballybunion Community Rescue Boat Ireland and Kilrush RNLI were all sent to the scene.
Shortly after the first person was taken from the water, a second person was recovered by Ballybunion Community Rescue Boat Ireland after 6pm.
Both were pronounced dead on the scene shortly after.
Devastated locals and holidaymakers in the town of Ballybunion, in north Kerry are ‘numb with shock’ after the horror double tragedy which happened at around 6pm this evening.
They were on holiday in the area when tragedy struck. The Irish Mirror report they were from Co Roscommon.
The man’s body was covered from the water at Men’s Beach shortly after 6pm and efforts to revive him failed. The woman’s body was recovered minutes later and sadly efforts to revive her also failed.
They both got into difficulty in the sea which according to locals has a notorious off-shore current.
A number of children who were on the beach at the time are said to be in a ‘highly distressed state’ following the double tragedy.
Local councillor Robert Beasley told The Star he initially thought it was a training operation when he saw a number of rescue helicopters, ambulances and rescue boats being deployed in the area while he was walking along the cliff top.
A shocked Cllr Beasley said: “I was walking the cliff top and saw a lot of activity and thought it was a training operation.
“It was only when I walked another 100 yards that someone told me there had been a tragedy. From what I know it appears one of them got into difficulty and the other went in to save them and got into difficulty too.
“It’s a tragedy beyond belief,” he said.
