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LAST UPDATE | 5 Jul 2020
TWO BROTHERS HAVE died in a diving incident in Co Tipperary.
The tragedy unfolded at the Portroe Dive Centre, located at Portroe Quarry, around 1.30pm.
The two men’s bodies were removed from the scene to University of Limerick where post mortems are expected to take place later.
A major search and rescue operation swung into place involving Killaloe Coast Guard, gardaí, and ambulance personnel.
Kilaloe Coast Guard were returning to their base from another call out, when they immediately responded to the alert at the quarry.
The Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter, based at Shannon Airport, was tasked to respond to the emergency alert, but it’s crew was stood down after the bodies of both divers were recovered and pronounced dead at the scene.
A garda spokesman said: “Gardaí attended an incident in Portroe, Co. Tipperary where two males have drowned.
“The males are believed to have been diving when they got into trouble at approximately 1:30pm.
“The bodies of both men have been removed to Limerick University Hospital where (post mortems) are due to take place.“
Garda sources said they were treating the incident as a “tragic accident”.
A reliable source confirmed the deceased men are brothers, understood to be from Co Laois.
“No one was expecting this,” they said.
“They were experienced divers but what exactly happened I can’t say for sure. A lot of divers come from around the country to attend the dive centre in Portroe.
“There are a lot of members locally but a lot of people visit. It’s known as a good place to practice diving.”
According to reports one of the men got into difficulty in the water and his sibling entered the water to try to help, however both men, aged in their 30s and 40s, tragically lost their lives.
Local non-party councillor Seamus Morris described the incident as “a tragedy for the men’s families and all involved at the dive centre“.
“As a dive centre, it’s used by local divers and it has always been very professionally run. Obviously, my sympathies go to the men’s families and the dive club.”
“I don’t know what happened, but diving is a sport that, unfortunately, has serious consequences if things don’t go right,” Morris added.
A post on Portroe Dive Centre’s Facebook page last week announced that it was due to reopen Saturday, after it closed last March in line with Covid-19 public health guidelines on social distancing.
According to the dive centre’s website, Portroe Quarry is “one of the best inland dive locations in Ireland” and is “always divable regardless of weather conditions”.
“Portroe slate quarry opened up 5 years ago as a dive centre,” it explained.
Divers accessing Portroe Quarry can explore deep water of up to 40m featuring car wrecks, an underwater pub, construction machinery, stone huts, and a sunken boat, the dive centre said.
A contact spokesman for the dive centre said they were not in a position to immediately comment.
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One thing I hate is quarrys, I’m not ashamed to admit I’m absolutely terrified of them. There was a huge quarry near where I live growing up in county meath, from the age of 10 to 15 I swam every summer there, once while showing off I got into difficulty in the middle of the quarry. I was completely winded, I panicked and struggled. Me being the prankster, my mates thought I was messing, except for one friend who quickly dived in and dragged me back. It’s the severity of them, the icy cold water and the fact they are generally very secluded. They also have many nasty things underneath them, such as currents, sharp rocks, broken bottles etc. My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of these two gentlemen.
@Sean Kelly: awful tragedy every summer we hear of people drowning in them frightening. RIP and condolences to their families
@Sean Kelly: Brilliantly told and an excellent warning, no matter how good a swimmer you are all it takes is one tiny cramp which spreads rapidly in cold water and your in serious danger unless you have other swimmers nearby.
@Frank Cauldhame: so true. Worked offshore in middle east when younger, strong swimmer. Came home, went for a swim and got a cramp. Normal skills went out the window and was lucky. Folks be safe and be seen. Condolences to the family
Godspeed Gents, condolences to family and friends.
RIP. never knew I was claustrophobic till I went diving 1 time. Extremely dangerous activity
@Kyle: no more so than any many hobbies! Anything from cycling, riding a motorbike, kayaking or horse riding. Unfortunately accidents happen in all walks of life.
RIP to the two men and condolences to their family and friends!
@Kezz™: true, i just dont think as human beings we are meant to be too far under water. Any slight accident or anything goes wrong with the mechanical equipment and your finished.
@Kezz™: that’s why some of us keep away from any extreme sports! These quarry drownings are becoming far too common!
@Kyle: yeah me neither until i jumped of a small boat in the Carribean… Couldnt wait to get back on the boat… Never panicked like that before.. And never done it since
@Jonnie Marre: not the time to get into a debate but diving is a very safe sport and accidents like this extremely rare.
@Geoff Bateman: yeah Geoff sounds familiar. I was hyperventilating so bad I nearly sucked the tank dry. I was coughing up blood for days afterwards. Some people really like it but its defo not for me. Tried once. Never again
@Kyle: Well the same you then must say about airplanes…I am a diver and dived Portroe several times, it is used as a safe place to dive because it is not subject to weather but as all diving activities is has some risk.
The accident may be and probably is unrelated to the location and a tragic accident.
My sympathy to the families, may they rest in peace.
@Marco Salino: definitely marco. Absolutely devastated for the family involved. I’m feeling for them. I’ve never coughed up blood after a plane flight. I had a terrible experience. That’s all. I know it’s not like that for everyone. Just a personal experience. It’s not for me
@Kyle: I understand and didn’t mean to be sharp but diving is really as safe or safer as many other sports or outdoor activities, when practiced correctly, safely and with the right training. What i meant is that probably you have more fatalities in amateur flying (small planes, etc. not jet liners) than in scuba diving. Absolutely not the time for debate here by the way.
@Marco Salino: I agree marco its not the place. I feel so sorry for the family involved. I hope they find peace
Was training there years ago… Ice cold fresh water can be very dangerous at depth. Equipment can fail easily if not properly maintained… Very sad for those divers. RIP
@Gabhainn O Treasigh: I have also dived in Portroe a few times. A great dive site but you really have watch out for the thermocline where the water temperature drops drastically after about 10m. If you are not prepared and you go deep (quarry is 30m+), you could find yourself in real trouble.
I not certain but i have been told that the two men maybe are brother’s so sad rest in peace lads
Shocking for the family friends and colleagues. May they RIP
Rest in peace boys. Awful news. Praying for their family.
This is such sad news. Two brothers gone together in such a dreadful way!. Thinking of their family at this terrible time. RIP.
May they rest in peace.
R.i.p.
Tragic. RIP. That place was almost closed lately due to insurance claims and now this.
Edit for author *Killaloe
On the news tonight it said the quarry only opened this morning too.
RIP
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