A 15-year-old boy has died after getting into difficulty in Lough Ree in Co Westmeath.
The alarm was raised at around 7.30pm yesterday evening, when a number of teenagers were reported to be in difficulty in the water around Carnakilla Point, which is close to Glasson village outside Athlone.
The Sligo Coastguard Rescue 118 assisted in the search along with the Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat at nearby Coosan Point on the River Shannon.
Following the search operation, a 15 year old boy was recovered from the water and was pronounced dead a short time later.
His body has been removed to Regional Hospital Mullingar where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
Local people and holidaymakers camping around the lake have expressed deep shock and sadness at the news of the boy’s death.