Two die in separate drowning incidents in County Cork
Two people have died in separate drowning incidents in County Cork.
A 17-year-old boy, who got into difficulty while swimming in the River Blackwater, was airlifted to hospital but died on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old man drowned during the early hours of Monday while swimming with friends in the River Lee near Ballincollig.
Police were called to the area at 01:00 BST, where they arrested five people due to disturbances at the scene.
Irish Water Safety Chief Executive John Leech has said that swimming in inland waterways is much more dangerous than elsewhere, and has appealed to the public to avoid them.
Speaking on Irish state broadcaster RTÉ's News at One, Mr Leech said fresh water can be more lethal than saltwater because of the osmosis it causes in lungs.
He said people can come away from an accident in fresh water and die several hours later.
He also said cold shock can be a factor when bodies are hot and the water is very cold.
He said people should swim in rivers with lifeguarded areas and avoid remote areas where there is no public rescue equipment and poor access for emergency services.