Young girl dies after going missing off the coast of Cork

Tragic news.

The body of a young girl has been recovered after the child went missing off the coast of Cork. Gardaí say that at around 4.40pm on Tuesday (5 September) they received reports of a female child entering the water at Fountainstown Beach near Crosshaven. A search and rescue operation was subsequently launched involving the Coast Guard, the RNLI, fire services, customs, the Mallow River Rescue and Garda units from the Crosshaven and Carrigaline stations. At around 7.45pm, the body of the young girl was recovered from the water by emergency services and pronounced deceased.

Aerial view of Crosshaven near where the young girl passed away

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the Crosshaven RNLI said:

"This afternoon, the Crosshaven RNLI volunteers were paged to a call we dread to hear. That of a missing child at Fountainstown beach. "At 7.45pm this evening, the body of the child was spotted in the surf line by a member of the public and one of our lifeboat crew who recovered her to the beach. "May she rest in peace. Our condolences to her family."

According to multiple outlets, the girl was eight years old and had gotten into difficulty while swimming at the beach. On Tuesday evening, Gardaí said that the body of the child will be taken from the scene to Cork University Hospital where a post mortem will be conducted. The coroner has been notified. Cork TD and Minister Simon Coveney has described the incident as "such a devastating tragedy". "Our hearts go out to family and friends trying to cope with unspeakable loss," he wrote. "It’s been a terrible summer of loss and tragedy in accidents in Cork. Community is heartbroken."

Such a devastating tragedy. Our hearts go out to family and friends trying to cope with unspeakable loss. It’s been a terrible summer of loss and tragedy in accidents in Cork. Community is heartbroken. https://t.co/ja112920nK

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) September 6, 2023

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