A teenage boy has died following the fifth drowning incident on the island of Ireland this week.
The 15-year-old got into difficulty in Lough Sheelin, which borders Cavan, Westmeath and Meath, on Tuesday.
He was rescued and taken to hospital in Dublin, but was pronounced dead on Thursday evening.
It follows separate drowning incidents in Cavan and Leitrim this week, along with two further incidents in Northern Ireland.
Water safety
The operations manager for the Irish Coastguard, Gerard O’Flynn, has meanwhile issued water safety advice to the public before they access open water areas this weekend.
Mr O’Flynn told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that Sunday is World Drowning Prevention Day, which aims to highlight water safety.
The combination of “excellent” weather in recent days along with Covid restrictions on recreation activities had meant more people were taking to the water, he said.
There had been a significant increase in the number of incidents to which the coastguard had been called this year, he said, rising from 1,340 at this time last year to 1,690 this year.
Mr O'Flynn advised that those going into the water should swim only in areas where there is a lifeguard or other groups of people, and let people know when to expect their return.
People should never swim alone in open water, he said, and always be observed, even from the shore.
Use a tow float, a small item that was attached to a swimmer’s foot, and wear an easily identifiable swim cap, he added.
“Never, ever” use inflatable toys in open water such as the sea, lakes or rivers, Mr O'Flynn cautioned, and added that those using jet skis should stay away from other people in the water.
Young mother
In Co Cavan on Wednesday, a young mother drowned while trying to rescue her child.
The woman, aged in her late 20s, got into difficulty after entering the water at Lough Gowna at about 9.30pm, and gardaí believe she may have been trying to help her child return to the shore.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, a man in his 70s died following a diving accident in Lough Allen, Co Leitrim.
He was snorkelling at Spencer Harbour in Drunkeeran at 9pm on Wednesday night when he failed to return to the surface, and his body was recovered a short time later by local emergency services.
Earlier on Wednesday, a 55-year-old man died after entering Lough Melvin in Co Fermanagh.
It came just days after the death of 13-year-old Jay Moffett who entered a lake in Scarva, Co Down.
