Details about the five people who died in Buncrana in County Donegal on Sunday night have emerged.
A woman in her fifties, her teenage daughter, her other daughter’s partner and his two sons all died when the car in which they were travelling slipped into Lough Swilly off Buncrana Pier.
Eye witness Francis Crawford has revealed how the driver of the car called out to him to alert the coastguard, but that just ten minutes later the car had disappeared.
Mr. Crawford revealed how another local man swam out to rescue a small baby.
“I was hoping against hope and praying … that the car would stay afloat knowing that everybody [emergency services] was on their way,” he told RTÉ.
“And then just all of a sudden the whole lot just went under the water.
“And that was it, and all within ten minutes, the family was gone, except the wee baby.”
He described his heartbreak at witnessing the event; the RNLI has revealed that the vehicle sank in around 3.5m of water.
“The divers were here from Derry, the ambulances were here, the fire service was here, the lifeboat was here, the coast guard was here, the helicopter was here. Everybody did what they could do but it was too late.”
The remains of the five victims were all brought to Letterkenny Hospital, as well as the rescued baby.
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