NAVY personnel who recovered the body of a Limerick woman in the sea in Co Clare at the weekend have been praised for their efforts.
Crew from the LÉ Aisling, which had been anchored in Liscannor Bay on Monday, were alerted after the woman got into difficulty while swimming.
The woman, named, as 35-year old Julie Bourke, from Moyross, was swept out to sea between Lahinch and Liscannor shortly after 3pm.
An eye-witness told the Limerick Post: “I was about to go fishing with a friend from Liscannor Pier and some guy ran up to us and asked if we would get the boat out of the harbour because a woman was in the water”.
The man, a photographer from Limerick, added: “The LÉ Aisling was moored in the bay and a Zodiac inflatable rib boat was launched from the vessel with three crew on board. They raced over to Kilmacreaghy and recovered the woman’s body.”
When the crew from the LÉ Aisling arrived back at Liscannor Pier efforts were made to try and save the woman’s life by ambulance personnel.
However, the 35-year old was pronounced dead at University Hospital in Galway after the Shannon-based Coastguard rescue helicopter airlifted her there.
“It’s a terrible tragedy. The crew from the LÉ Aisling tried their hardest to get to the woman but it was to late obviously,” the eye-witness said.
The removal of Ms Burke’s remains took place from Cross’ Funeral Home at 8pm on Wednesday, August 3.
Ms Burke’s funeral mass takes place at 11am in St Munchin’s Church this Thursday, August 4, followed by burial in Mount St Oliver Cemetery.
Ms Burke is survived by her parents Patrick and Julia Byrnes, partner, two children, brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, uncles and aunts.
