Coastguard issues fresh warning after five drownings

The Coastguard has issued a fresh safety warning for those taking to the water during the continued heatwave.

Among the advice is to wear a personal floatation device and never swim alone, or after drinking alcohol.

Five people have drowned in the past week, including a 19-year-old man in a Co. Roscommon lake last night and a 10-year-old boy in Youghal in east Cork yesterday.

John Leech, Chief Executive of Irish Water Safety, appealed to swimmers to take extreme care.

"Fresh water is more dangerous than salt water, that's the first thing we'd say," he explained.

We'd ask everyone to swim on lifeguarded waterways, and there's a whole list of them with all the hours that lifeguards are on duty."

"The lifeguards are professional, they're very good at their jobs … they will keep your family safe."

A list of bathing areas and lifeguard hours is available on http://www.iws.ie/.

And just 20 minutes ago, another tragedy has happened!

Body of drowned teen recovered close to Ardnacrusha power station

The body of a teenage boy, believed to be aged 17, has been recovered from a reservoir in Co Clare.

The youth was swimming with a group near the Ardnacrusha ESB power station when he got into difficulty shortly before 5pm this evening.

The Shannon rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene.

The death is the third from drowning on Irish waterways in the past 24 hours, and the sixth so far this week.

A 19-year-old man lost his life after getting into difficulty in the Drinaun lake in Roscommon last night and a 10-year-old boy drowned off the coast in Youghal, Co. Cork yesterday evening.

Fresh warnings are now being issued about safety with swimmers urged to use only lifeguarded waterways.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingne ... 00336.html

See Irish Water Safety for a full list, and more information about water safety.
http://www.iws.ie/index.html

Six drownings in a week. Absolutely shocking.

Shocking terrible news, may they all RIP.

I cant understand why swimming isnt part of the compulsory schooling system, everyone on this island nation of ours should be taught how to swim at a very young age, my own two children were taught very young and turned out to be fantastic swimmers both doing 50m in around 60 seconds it even encouraged me to go for lessons in my mid 30s never looked back not a good swimmer but i can swim