A member of the Irish Coast Guard has revealed how the bodies of two siblings were recovered from the water after they drowned in a tragic incident in Co Kerry yesterday evening.
The brother and sister, aged in their 50s and 60s, lost their lives after getting into difficulty at Ballybunion beach in what has been described as a ‘tragedy beyond belief.’
Irish Coast Guard Operations Manager Michael O'Toole spoke about how the tragedy unfolded, saying they first received an alert about two people in difficulty in the water at Ballybunion Beach just after 6pm yesterday.
A "large scale" search was immediately launched with multiple rescue boats sent out as well as a rescue helicopter and ambulances at the scene.
Speaking on RTE Morning Ireland on Friday, he said: "Just after 6pm yesterday evening, the Irish coastguard received notifications of persons potentially in difficulty in the Ballybunion Bay area.
"Immediately the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Valentia in Co Kerry initiated a large scale search and rescue operation. The Ballybunion community inshore rescue boat, the Ballybunion coastguard unit, the Kilrush [RNLI] lifeboat and the Shannon based coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter were all tasked to the scene."
Local lifeguards first pulled the body of a 50-year-old man from the water followed minutes later by the second casualty, a 62-year-old woman, who was found by the local rescue boat.
"Shortly after [the search was launched] we received information that an initial casualty had been recovered from the water by the local lifeguards," Mr O'Toole said.
"At that point the operation was also being supported by An Garda Siochana, the National Ambulance service, some local community first responders and and the community air ambulance service.
"The Ballybunion community inshore rescue boat recovered another casualty from the water. Unfortunately there was a tragic outcome to the operation. Our thoughts must be with the family and friends of those affected by this incident."
He said that the conditions in Ballybunion Bay yesterday evening at the time of the tragedy were "fair" with "potentially choppy" waves in the water. It is believed the pair had been swimming when they got into difficulty and drowned.
"The conditions were fair. They were good for a search and rescue type operation. There was a moderate sea breeze and some potentially choppy wave conditions.
"However, they were not adverse [conditions]."
"The Gardai are conducting their investigation into the overall circumstances but we have some information that would suggest they were involved in swimming-based activities."
He continued: "On behalf of the Coast Guard and the other emergency services, I extend the deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those involved and to the wider community in Ballybunion."
The siblings who drowned were on holiday in the area when tragedy struck. The man was residing in Co Roscommon and the woman lived in Malmo, Sweden.
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, adding that it's been 20 years since a similar double tragedy happened when a father and son got into difficulty in the caves at Ballybunion beach and sadly passed away.
He said that although the weather was good in Ballybunion, the sea was “reasonably rough” with the tide coming in at the time of yesterday’s double tragedy.
“You are never ready for a double tragedy like this. Locals and holidaymakers here are shocked beyond belief. There were a number of children in complete distress on the beach at the time. It’s horrific.”
Post-mortem examinations will be carried out on the bodies and a file is being prepared for the Coroner.
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