Two courageous strangers who went to the assistance of a man and a woman who got into difficulty in the water at Owenahincha beach in west Cork were feared drowned last night.
Jonathan Herlihy, a 23-year-old student at UCC, and 37-year-old businessman Peter O'Keefe, both from Cork city, were on the strand at 1.30pm yesterday when they noticed two people struggling in the water.
The men, who did not know each other, brought a lifebuoy into the water in an attempt to rescue the swimmers.
However, it is believed they were overcome by high waves and a rough sea and lost their lives with some of their families left in shock on the strand.
The man and woman, who are in their mid 20s, managed to get to the lifebuoy and make their way to safety at the scenic strand near Rosscarbery. They were being treated for shock last night. He is believed to be from England and she is from Kilkenny.
Con Daly, who lives near Owenahincha Strand, said it was "a terrible tragedy" to see two men die in an effort to save others. "The two guys were on the beach and they heard screaming. They got the lifebuoy out to the couple and they got in.
"Basically, these two people gave up their lives to save them. I was watching the helicopter and the Navy going down . . . It is an awful shame."
Frank Harte, area officer of the Irish Coast Guard said the emergency services were alerted shortly after lunchtime. As the search late last night the coast guard said that one of the men had entered the water fully dressed the other was in swimming trunks.
A search and rescue helicopter was deployed from Shannon, and the LE Aoife also participated in the operation alongside the Courtmacsherry lifeboat, along with two Irish Coast Guard vessels and other boats.
Parish priest Fr Patrick J McCarthy said the two men were in the thoughts and prayers of people in the community. He said the water at Owenahincha was very rough yesterday and the sea appeared to be particularly "angry".
"We had a prayer service on the beach for the poor men and I spoke to their families. It is very sad and we will be praying for the men's families over the next week."