THE BODIES OF four of the students killed in a balcony collapse in Berkeley, California, will arrive in Ireland this weekend, as a joint funeral mass for the other two victims of the tragedy is due to take place.
22-year-old Irish-US citizen Ashley Donohoe and Irish woman Olivia Burke, 21, will be remembered in a memorial service in Sonoma.
A mass for the cousins will take place at 10.30am local time and buses have been organised by the Irish Consul General to transport students from Berkeley who wish to attend.
It is understood Ashley Donohoe will be buried in Sonoma where her family is based, while her cousin’s remains will be taken back to Dublin for burial in the coming days.
Last night, relatives of the four other students killed in the balcony collapse attended a private service in Oakland where their loved ones were laid out in open caskets.
The church was split into four sections, one for each of the families, and a viewing period followed after the mass for friends of the students.
Their remains will be flown home tonight and their families are due to arrive back in Ireland tomorrow.
An investigation into the balcony collapse is ongoing. Experts and city officials have said the balcony might have snapped off because supports had dry rotted, a problem that structural engineers say can be prevented through proper construction and maintenance aimed at sealing out water.
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