GIRL, 8, DIES IN SEA SWIM TRAGEDY

Community's heartache as major search operation ends with body find

-  NICOLA DONNELLY

A COMMUNITY has been left heartbroken after the body of a young girl was recovered in a major search operation off the coast of Cork.

The eight-year-old, believed to be from Crosshaven, was swimming with friends at nearby Fountainstown Beach yesterday afternoon.

It is understood she got into difficulty and the alarm was raised just after 4.30pm with gardai, fire crews, the Coast Guard and RNLI tasked.

Fianna Fail councillor Seamus McGrath said: "Our thoughts are with the little girl's family. It is absolutely dreadful and everyone is heartbroken. Our local community has suffered a number of young tragedies in recent weeks - eight-year-old Andre Ladeiro who died after being struck by a car not too far away in Carrigaline and 14-yearold Jack O'Sullivan who drowned swimming in Passage West.

"The whole community here has been affected by the tragic loss of these young lives and everyone has been saying we can't take anymore."