Young man drowns in River Shannon

By David Raleigh

A man has died in another drowning tragedy on the River Shannon this morning.

The body of the man in his 20s was recovered by divers attached to Limerick Marine Search and Rescue Service around 2.30am.

The Shannon-based Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter, Limerick Fire Service, Gardaí, and HSE paramedics, were also alerted to the scene.

Emergency services received an alert that a man had been seen entering the river near Shannon Bridge, not far from where his body was found.

File photo of the Shannon Bridge in Limerick.

The local marine rescue service dispatched a boat from its floating pontoon located at Poor Man's Kilkee on the quays, and found the man's body under the surface of the water within minutes of him entering the river.

Limerick Marine Search and Rescue Service PRO, Peter Hogan said: "We got the call at approximately 1.30am. When we got on scene the person had gone underwater."

"We had a crew of 12 involved and the fire service, Gardaí, ambulance and the coast guard helicopter also responded."

"Our divers recovered the young man's body near Shannon Bridge and he was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick," Mr Hogan added.

Emergency service personnel desperately tried to save the man's life by performing CPR, but he was pronounced dead at a University Hospital Limerick shortly afterwards.

"He was taken to University Hospital Limerick. God rest him he didn't make it," an emergency services source said.

A post mortem on the young man's body is to be carried out later today after he is formally identified.