Two people, believed to be from Roscommon, have died in a drowning accident in Ballybunion, County Kerry.
A man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s, were taken from the sea shortly after 6 o'clock on Thursday evening.
The alarm was raised when a man was seen getting into difficulties in the water just off the men's beach.
First responders arrived at the scene and the man was brought ashore, but efforts to revive him failed.
As the man was receiving medical attention, a woman was spotted in the water and was subsequently brought ashore.
However, it's been confirmed that she has also died.
Members of the Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue as well as the Kilrush lifeboat and the rescue 115 Helicopter were all involved in the operation.
Sea conditions at the time of the incident are believed to have been hazardous.
