Two people died and another two were missing last night after a boat thought to contain eight people - four adults and four children - capsized off the Louth coast at tea time.
Two girls, aged 10 and 12, and a man were rescued from the sea by an Irish Marine Emergency Services helicopter off Dunany Point, near Clogherhead after another man had swum the 1 1/2 miles to shore to raise the alarm, gardai said.
The bodies of a 7-year-old boy and a man in his 60s were later recovered. A search for the other two occupants of the boat, including a 10-year-old boy, is to resume at first light.
The tragedy involved two families, believed to be from Co Louth, who had spent an afternoon at Dunany Point. One local man said they were in what appeared to be a 12 ft fibreglass boat with an outboard motor.
The four adults and four children had been in the vessel for some time when it capsized. The reason for this is unclear and specific details on the accident and information about the casualties were sketchy last night.
Two men who were fishing off Clogherhead yesterday afternoon said the water was slightly choppy, but there were no strong winds.
The two girls and one of the men were brought to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
The operation was co-ordinated by the Irish Marine Emergency Services, assisted by the Clogherhead lifeboat and local marine rescue units. Local fishermen also searched.