Man dies after getting into difficulty in Limerick river
A man has died after getting into difficulty while swimming in a river in Limerick city.
The man, aged in his 20s, went for a swim in the Abbey River, near the Absolute Hotel, situated close to Harry’s Mall around 1pm.
The man’s body was recovered from the River Shannon near Sarsfield House located close to Arthur’s Quay around 6pm.
The body was removed from the scene by hearse to University Hospital Limerick mortuary. Gardai were to contact the family of the deceased and prepare a file for the Limerick City Coroner’s Office.
It is understood Gardaí are treating the man’s death as a tragic accident.
Searches are being conducted along the Abbey River in Limerick city for a man who got into difficulty after going for a swim today. The man, believed to be aged in his 20s, was seen entering the Abbey River near the Absolute Hotel, near Harry’s Mall, shortly after 1pm.
Units attached to Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service, among with members of the service’s specially trained water rescue officers, referred to as (SRTs) Swift Water Rescue Technicians were deployed to the scene. Members of the Limerick Marine Search and Rescue Service were also mobilised and tasked by the Coast Guard to attend the scene.
The Shannon-based Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter also traveled to the scene to carry out an aerial search of the river. According to sources the man was with another male at the time he entered the river.
It is understood the man had gone for a swim. The man who entered the water was seen disappearing below the surface of the river near Baal’s Bridge, linking Mary Street and Broad Street, sources said.
“We believe the man went for a swim and that he may not have realised that the temperature of the river is very cold at this time of the year, it’s even colder than the sea,” said a source. “There is also very fast flowing current in that area."
In response to queries about the incident, a garda spokeswoman said: “Gardai and emergency services are at the scene of an incident on the Abbey River, Limerick this afternoon the 10th of June 2019”.
Joe Morgan, of Limerick Marine Search and Rescue Service (LMSRS) said: “We are engaged in an ongoing search of the river and we are treating it as a missing person incident.”
Divers from LMSRS are to attempt underwater searches of the scene at low tide on Monday evening.
