Body of young girl recovered after search operation off Cork coast

A search and rescue operation by first responders taking place for a missing swimmer at Fountainstown, Co. Cork.-Picture: David Creedon

The body of an eight-year-old girl has been recovered from the water off the Cork coast after an extensive search operation.

The alarm was raised at around 4.40pm on Tuesday and gardaí and emergency services began searching for the girl, who went missing in the water at Fountainstown Beach, near Crosshaven.

It is understood the girl was at the beach with friends as an after-school treat and is from the local area and that she attended school in Crosshaven.

Her body was recovered near the shore by a member of the public along with an individual from the lifeboat crew of Crosshaven RNLI at around 7.45pm. 

She was taken to Crosshaven Lifeboat Station where her family members had gathered.

A Coast Guard helicopter from Shannon was involved in the search, along with the Crosshaven Coast Guard unit, the volunteer lifeboat crew from Crosshaven, gardaí from Crosshaven and Carrigaline, fire services, customs, and Mallow River Rescue.

A search and rescue operation by first responders at Fountainstown, Co Cork. The body of an eight-year-old girl was removed from the area. Picture: David Creedon

RNLI Crosshaven Lifeboat Station said the body of the girl was spotted in the surf following an extensive search operation.

“The body of the child was spotted in the surf line by a member of the public and one of our lifeboat crew who recovered her to the beach. May she rest in peace. Our condolences to her family.” 

Crosshaven Coastguard said that “crews worked tirelessly” after arriving on the scene.

“But unfortunately some time later a local person recovered her from the water after being washed ashore. 

"She was transported by the Irish Coast Guard jeep to our local station where she was later met by her family."

The coroner has been notified and an inquest will take place at a later date. 

A postmortem will be carried out at Cork University Hospital today.

Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Seamus McGrath said news of the girl's passing was “truly devastating.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the little angel. The lower harbour community has experienced unimaginable tragedy and loss in a short number of weeks. We all wish we would wake up from the nightmare.” 

Local Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley, who was at the beach last night, said the tragedy is “absolutely devastating” for the local community.

She praised the work of the emergency services who conducted the search operation. “The services were amazing. When the alert was called the fire bridgade, the RNLI, the Coast Guard were all there. We’re fortunate because they’re all on our doorstep in Crosshaven. They were all there for about three hours,” she said

Latest in deaths in Irish waters

It was a tragic day at Irish beaches, as an 80-year-old man died after he became ill at Curracloe Beach in Wexford.

These were the latest in a series of deaths in Irish waters in recent weeks.

Fourteen-year-old Jack O'Sullivan died on August 24 after he got in to difficulty while swimming with friends at Passage West on Cork's Lower Harbour.

Jack had been due to go in to second year at Colaiste Eamann Ris at St Patrick's Road in Cork city. He was described at his funeral as being a charming and friendly young man who radiated joy.

On August 20, Ivan Chittenden, 64, from Toronto, Canada and Brendan Wall, 45, of Cardrath, Co Meath died in separate incidents during the swim section of the Ironman event in Youghal.

A memorial service took place for Mr Chittenden last Saturday in Toronto.