Tributes have been paid to a 15-year-old girl who drowned in Crete while on holidays with her family.
Laura Dempsey, from Greystones in Co. Wicklow, was on holidays with her parents in Stalida, on the north coast of Crete, when the tragedy occurred.
The young girl was discovered unresponsive in the swimming pool of the hotel where she and her family had been staying shortly after 2.30 pm on Sunday, according to The Mirror.
Her parents had been searching the resort for her. Greek website cretapost.gr reported that the girl’s rescuers and a doctor attempted to bring her back to life but were unsuccessful.
Her body was taken to hospital where a post-mortem was carried out yesterday. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to her family.
The family have remained at the resort where they are being comforted by locals, including a local Irish business owner.
One local said: “My heart goes out to them, it’s all just surreal. They said everybody has been fantastic to them. I just went to meet them to do my bit.” They added the family were asking for privacy at this time.
Laura, who was a student at Temple Carrig Secondary School, and a member of Greystones Sailing Club, has been described as “a very active young woman”.
The Irish Star reports that the Commodore of the local sailing club, Darragh Cafferky, extended his sympathies to Laura’s family in a letter saying: "It is with extraordinary sadness that we advise of the death of one of our young and valued juniors.
"Laura Dempsey, a talented and popular member of our junior community, who died tragically while on holiday with her parents Nicky and John.
"A bright light has been extinguished, and it's beyond words to express the grief we all feel for our friends Nicky and John, and I know you all share with us in expressing our deep, deep sympathy to all her family and friends."
Our hearts go out to Laura’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
