No names released yet for drowned brother and sister

Gardai have not yet released the names of the young brother and sister who died in a drowning tragedy off the Mayo coast.

The five-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister died today as they played in the sea with an inflatable ring.

The two youngsters got into trouble after they floated from the shore at Belmullet on an inflatable ring, a spokesman for the Marine Department said.

The Coast Guard was alerted shortly before 3pm and an Air Corps from Sligo joined a local lifeboat in the search for the pair in Broadhaven Bay.

The body of the boy was found just before 3.30pm and that of his sister 10 minutes later.

They have not been named but are understood to be from Belmullet.

It is reported that unsuccessful attempts were made to resuscitate them before the bodies were taken to Mayo General Hospital, in Castlebar.