LAST UPDATE | 11 May 2025

TWO TEENAGERS HAVE died after getting into difficulty while swimming off the coast of Donegal yesterday. 

A member of the public had raised the alarm shortly before 4pm that there were three males in difficulty in the water near Buncrana.

Two of the teenagers were taken to hospital yesterday and the body of a third was recovered from the water during a multi-agency search operation last night. 

Gardaí from Donegal North and the ambulance service also attended the scene.

The two deceased have been named as Emmanuel Familola (16) and Matt Sibanda (18).

Local reports say the men were trying to retrieve a football from the sea and all three got into difficulty.

A third man managed to swim to the shoreline and is recovering at Letterkenny University Hospital and is expected to leave the hospital soon.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan extended his condolences.

I want to extend my condolences to the families and friends of Emmanuel Familola and Matt Sibanda who drowned yesterday off the coast of Buncrana. It was a terrible tragedy.

— Jim O'Callaghan TD (@OCallaghanJim) May 11, 2025

The two young men were living at separate asylum centres in the area.

Both of the deceased young men had come to Ireland from overseas with their families and both were attending local secondary schools in Buncrana.

Matt, whose family are originally from Zimbabwe, was a student at Crana College, while Emmanuel, who family was from Nigeria, attended Scoil Mhuire.

Principals Kevin Cooley (Crana College) and Evelyn McLoughlin (Scoil Mhuire) said words cannot fully express the heartache being felt in both schools.

“Our school communities are devastated by this heartbreaking loss. Emmanuel and Matt were deeply respected and valued members of our student bodies, and their passing has left us all in profound shock.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and with the wider Buncrana community. This is a tragedy that words cannot fully express.

“In the coming days, weeks, and months, we will continue to support our students, families, and staff with care and compassion. Our priority remains the wellbeing of everyone in our community. Finally, we extend our deepest gratitude to the emergency services and rescue teams for their swift and courageous response.”

Crana College and Scoil Mhuire say they will provide a space for students, staff, and parents to gather, support one another, and begin the healing process.

The schools say they will both reopen as normal on Monday, with extensive supports in place for those affected.

A vigil was organised for 4pm this afternoon at St Mary’s Oratory in Buncrana.

Hundreds of people have turned up for a special church service in Buncrana, County Donegal, as the town remembers two young men who died after getting into difficulty in the water last night. https://t.co/vCBLRMgMO6 pic.twitter.com/e9VnqR7Rlv

— Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) May 11, 2025

Local councillor Fionán Bradley told The Journal that he had organised it alongside the parish priest in an effort “to do something”.

He said that across Buncrana, there’s an “eerie silence. People don’t know what to say – there’s nothing you can say.”

The families of the deceased are receiving an outpouring of support at this time, he said.

The local coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course, a Garda spokesperson said.

Includes reporting by Stephen Maguire and Emma Hickey