Body recovered in search for teenage swimmer in Laytown

Emergency services have recovered the body of a teenage boy who got into difficulties while swimming in Laytown earlier this evening.

The teenager was reported missing by a member of the public just before 6.15pm.

It's believed a number of youths were swimming near the bridge at Laytown when tragedy struck.

Emergency services including Meath Fire Service, the Dublin-based Irish Coast Guard Rescue helicopter and the Drogheda Coast Guard Unit attended the scene but the body of the youth was recovered after 9pm this evening.

Gardaí and a unit of the National Ambulance Service were also at the scene while its understood that Drogheda River Rescue recovered the body.

A Garda spokesperson told the Meath Chronicle: "Gardaí and emergency services conducted a search and rescue operation in Laytown Co. Meath this evening Friday 20th June 2025."

"At approximately 6.15pm emergency services received report of a male in difficulty in the water and a search operation was launched.

"The body of a male was removed from the water by the coastguard, this evening.

He was pronounced deceased at the scene and his body has been taken to Navan Hospital where a post mortem will take place."

Gardai are aware of videos of this incident that are currently in circulation.

"An Garda Síochána is requesting that this footage and imagery are not shared"

In a separate incident, The Irish Times reported another teenager was airlifted to hospital with suspected multiple fractures and lacerations after falling 6m on to some rocks in Howth on Friday afternoon.

The teenager had to be winched by helicopter from the White Water Brook, a remote beach below cliffs on the eastern side of the Howth peninsula.

The RNLI lifeboat called out the Rescue 116 helicopter because of the swiftly rising tide.

Rescue 116 deployed its winchman, who assessed the teenager’s injuries, and co-ordinated with RNLI and Coast Guard crews to secure him in a rescue harness.

The helicopter then repositioned over the scene and winched the casualty and winchman to safety.

A teenager who went to help him made his way to the other end of the beach to be picked up. He was suffering from hypothermia.

He was then transferred to the all-weather lifeboat and taken back to Howth Lifeboat Station, where he was transferred into the care of an ambulance crew.

Both teenagers were taken to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

In another separate incident, again reported by the Irish Times, the volunteer crew of the Howth RNLI rescued three children who had been cut off by the tide near Lion’s Head – a popular swimming spot on the south side of the Howth peninsula, close to the Bailey Lighthouse.

Helm of the inshore lifeboat, Killian O’Reilly, said it had been a “challenging afternoon”.

The Rescue 116 hospital winching a teenager off the rocks in the Howth peninsula on Friday afternoon during the hottest day of the year.

The Rescue 116 hospital winching a teenager off the rocks in the Howth peninsula on Friday afternoon during the hottest day of the year.

“The teamwork shown between the RNLI, Coast Guard units, and Rescue 116 was exceptional and ensured the best possible outcome in tough circumstances,” Mr O’Reilly said.

“During this spell of hot weather, we are urging everyone to be aware of the dangers and to know what to do should you find yourself in difficulty in the water.”