DUBLIN, IRELAND — A 16-year-old Nigerian teenager, Emmanuel Familola, has been confirmed dead after drowning during a swimming incident in the Buncrana community of County Donegal, Ireland. His body was recovered from Lough Swilly following an extensive search and rescue operation launched after he and two other teenagers encountered difficulties while swimming.
The tragedy unfolded on Saturday, May 10, around 4 p.m., according to Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). Witnesses reported the emergency, prompting the immediate deployment of air and sea rescue units. One teenager was able to swim ashore, while another was rescued from the water and is currently in critical condition at Letterkenny University Hospital.
Familola’s body was discovered later that evening between Ned’s Point and Fahan, near Buncrana, and was also taken to Letterkenny Hospital. The drowning has sent shockwaves through the local community and the broader Nigerian-Irish diaspora.
Local lawmaker Padraig Mac Lochlainn, a member of the Irish Parliament for the Donegal Constituency, confirmed the deaths of Emmanuel Familola and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda. Lochlainn described the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy that has left the community reeling.
“There has been widespread shock and sadness following the deaths of 16-year-old Emmanuel Familola and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda in the drowning tragedy,” he wrote in a statement on Facebook.
In response, Insight Inishowen, a local charitable group, set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses for the two families. The campaign exceeded its €40,000 target, raising €41,515 as of Monday.
“We are heartbroken by their loss and want to do everything to help ease the financial burden at a time of such unimaginable pain,” read the GoFundMe message. “Every penny raised will be divided equally between the two grieving families.”
The effort has garnered support from the Exchange Community Centre and the wider Buncrana area, where both boys were known and loved.
The tragedy comes just days after PUNCH Metro reported the drowning of another 16-year-old Nigerian teenager, Valentine Ikechukwu, who died while swimming in a lake at Colwick Country Park in the United Kingdom on April 30. Authorities in Nottinghamshire said the teenager got into difficulty and could not be saved.
Both incidents have raised concerns about water safety awareness among youth in Ireland and the UK, especially during warmer months when recreational swimming increases.
As investigations continue, community leaders and organizations are calling for greater public education and safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
