Tragedy on Lough Ree as boy (15) drowns

A teenage boy has tragically drowned after getting into difficulty in Lough Ree, outside Athlone, yesterday (Saturday) evening.

Gardaí and emergency services responded to reports of a person in difficulty in the water off Carnakilla Point, at Portlick in Glasson, shortly after 7:30pm on Saturday.

Following a search operation that's believed to have lasted for a little over an hour, the boy was recovered from the water but was pronounced dead at the scene.

The multi-agency response to the incident involved the Irish Coast Guard, Lough Ree RNLI, the Gardai, the ambulance service, and civil defence.

The boy was removed to the mortuary at Mullingar Hospital, where a post-mortem examination will be arranged, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

It's understood the deceased was from the Athlone area, and the awful news has cast a shadow of tragedy and heartbreak over a weekend of extremely warm weather conditions in the Midlands.