A POST MORTEM is due to be carried out later today on the eight-year-old girl who died in a drowning off a Co Cork beach.

Her body was recovered at around 7.45pm around three hours after the alarm was raised in Fountainstown yesterday afternoon.

It is understood the girl was swept out to sea and was found by a member of the public along with an individual from the lifeboat crew of Crosshaven RNLI after they spotted her body near the shore yesterday evening.

The two people went in to the sea when they spotted the body in the water at around 7.30pm yesterday. She was taken to Crosshaven Lifeboat Station where her family members had gathered.

An extensive search operation took place involving garda Units from Crosshaven and Carrigaline stations, as well as the Coast Guard, RNLI, Fire Services, Customs and Mallow Search and Rescue.

Crosshaven Coastguard have said that “crews worked tirelessly” arriving on scene to find the child.

“But unfortunately some time later a local person recovered her from the water after being washed ashore. She was transported by the Irish Coast Guard jeep to our local station where she was later met by her family and transported to CUH for post mortem.

Remember if you see someone in trouble on or near our coasts or inland waterway dial 112/999 and ask for the Irish Coast Guard.”

A garda spokesperson said a post mortem will take place at Cork University Hospital and the Coroner has been notified.

An inquest will likely follow in the coming months.

It is understood the child attended school in Crosshaven.

Cork Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath said that the news of the passing of the child was “truly devastating.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the little angel. The lower harbour community has experienced unimaginable tragedy and loss in a short number of weeks,” he said.

“We all wish we would wake up from the nightmare.”

Fourteen-year-old Jack O’Sullivan died on 24 August after he got in to difficulty while swimming with friends at Passage West on Cork’s Lower Harbour.

Jack had been due to go in to second year at Colaiste Eamann Ris at St Patrick’s Road in Cork city.

Meanwhile, on 20 August, Ivan Chittenden (64) from Toronto, Canada and Brendan Wall (45) of Cardrath, Co Meath died in separate incidents during the swim section of the Ironman event in Youghal, Co Cork.

Yesterday also saw the death of a man in his 80s after taking ill in the water off the coast in Co Wexford.

A man was removed from the water in Curracloe Beach but was pronounced dead at the scene. A file is being prepared for the coroner.

Additional reporting by Olivia Kelleher