Two siblings have lost their lives after getting into difficulty in the sea off Co Kerry in what has been described as a ‘tragedy beyond belief.’
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.
The man and woman, in their 50s and believed to be from the same family, were on holiday in the area when tragedy struck. It is also believed they were from Co Roscommon.
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The man’s body was recovered 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, 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.”
A major air-sea rescue operation was put in place and recovered both the man and woman from the sea.
The emergency response included units of the Irish Coast Guard, Gardaí, RNLI, Civil Defence and both the Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter and the north Cork-based air ambulance.
The Ballybunion unit of the Irish Coast Guard, Ballybunion Rescue and the RNLI lifeboat based at Cappagh near Kilrush in Co Clare were tasked to the scene.
In a statement, An Garda Siochana confirmed the double tragedy.
“At approximately 6pm on Thursday, August 4 gardai and emergency services were alerted after two people, aged in their 50s, got into difficulty in the water at Ballybunion Beach, Co Kerry.
“They were taken from the water and pronounced dead a short time later.”
The bodies of both the man and woman have been removed from the scene by ambulance to the mortuary in University Hospital Kerry.
A file is being prepared for the Coroner.
Last month, three people lost their lives in water-related deaths within a week.
Bradley Lulendo (14) died on Monday, July 11 while swimming at Burrow Beach, Sutton, Co. Dublin, and Patrick McCarthy (40s) died on Tuesday, July 12 while swimming at Fanore Beach, North Clare and Michael Timmons (60s) died after he got into difficulty while swimming at the man-made Derryounce Lake in Portarlington, Co Laois on Saturday, July 16.
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