Witnesses offer help in canal deaths inquiry

TWO witnesses may shed light on the last moments of Dublin canal death victims Shane Coughlan and David White.

Both teenagers drowned in the Grand Canal in Clondalkin early on Sunday, February 25, according to the results of post mortem examinations.

Garda Supt John Hartnett said two witnesses had come forward and were helping officers with their enquiries.

He said there was nothing to suggest there was anything suspicious about the deaths.

It is believed the witnesses spotted the two young men around the Ninth Lock Road near a filling station at between 7.30pm and 8am.

Investigating gardaí believe Mr White, 18, lost his life when he attempted to rescue his friend who he had slipped into the water as they walked along the canal bank.

The body of Mr White was recovered by divers between the 10th and 11th locks near the Fonthill Road bridge at lunchtime on Saturday, six days after the tragedy. On Wednesday, garda divers recovered Mr Coughlan’s body from the canal.

The two young men had left a house party in nearby Bawnogue, west Dublin, at 4.30am to buy cigarettes and phone credit at a filling station.

The Garda Air Support Unit and Garda Technical Bureau sniffer dogs assisted the team of five divers to examine the scene.

Extra garda reinforcements were drafted in on Saturday for the fourth day of the search.

The search for the missing teenagers began when shoes believed to have been those worn by Shane Coughlan were found at the Fonthill Road bridge section of the canal.