Three young men aged between 16 and 19 years got into difficulty off the Inishowen town of Buncrana at around 4pm on Saturday
Gardaí and emergency services conducted a search and rescue operation off the coast of Buncrana on Saturday.
Gardaí in Donegal North were alerted by the Coast Guard to a report of three males aged between 16 and 19 in difficulty in the water at approximately 4pm.
Greencastle and Mulroy Coast Guard Units were tasked along with both Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboats and the Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 from Sligo.
One of the men managed to swim to shore while another was later plucked from the water but a third could not be found.
The body of the third man was recovered from the water between an area known as Ned’s Point and Fahan around 9pm last night.
The second man was taken from the sea by rescuers and rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital.
However, he died overnight despite the best efforts of medics to save his life.
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A third man remains in hospital.
Following the recovery of a body of an adult male in his teens on Saturday night, the search for the third male was stood down.
Prayers were said at local masses this morning for the three young men and their families.
Local volunteers and members of the emergency services were involved in a large scale search and rescue operation.
Two RNLI lifeboats were assisted by teams from Mulroy and Greencastle coastguard units with further help by up to a dozen local yachts.
The multi-agency search included the Rescue 118 helicopter from Sligo along with the RNLI lifeboat from Buncrana and a number of local yachts.
Local county councillor Jack Murray said there were no words to describe how the community in Buncrana felt following the tragedy.
He praised the work of local volunteers as well as the emergency services who assisted in the search and rescue operation.
“Our emergency services have once again demonstrated courage and professionalism in unthinkable circumstances,” Cllr Murray said.
“We have been hit with so many tragedies and horrendous events in this area. Each time the emergency services are called upon, they stand up without fail.”
A prayer vigil is being held at 4pm today in St Mary’s Oratory, Buncrana, to offer support to the families and the local community.
Cllr Joy Beard, who attended the scene on Saturday evening, said the community is in shock and disbelief.
“This morning we awoke to the devastating news that a second teenager involved in yesterday’s tragic events has sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning,” she said.
“As a community, we are devastated beyond words to have lost two young lives so full of promise.
“We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to their families, friends, and all those affected by this unimaginable loss. In the days ahead, we will stand together to support one another in grief and in love.”
A spokesperson for gardaí said their investigations were ongoing. The local coroner has been notified of the teenagers’ deaths and post-mortem examinations will be arranged in due course.
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