Fermoy boy (14) drowns in river

A 14-year-old boy living in Fermoy, Co Cork, was drowned while swimming with some friends in the river Blackwater yesterday evening.

The boy, named locally as Martin Duggan from Emmet Street in the town, had joined a number of other boys who went swimming in the river upstream of the centre of town at Barnane near Fermoy Rowing Club at about 5.30pm yesterday.

Supt Con Cadogan said that the drowning was a tragedy which highlighted the need for water safety and he paid tribute to all the services who attended the scene, as well as the large numbers of civilians who turned out to help with the search.

It is understood that Martin got into difficulty in part of the river not usually known as a swimming spot and was spotted by the other boys going under water. They immediately raised the alarm with gardaí, civil defence and more than 50 locals joining the search.

Local divers from the Blackwater search and rescue unit also joined in the search, and just before 8pm members of the unit located the body less than 3m (10ft) from where he had been seen going under.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter from Waterford and members of the Naval Service diving team were just arriving in Fermoy when the boy's body was found