There were some tragic scenes in Dublin this afternoon as the bodies of the father and son who lost their lives in a the Royal Canal were being pulled from the water.
The bodies had been spotted by a local resident, who raised the alarm. Emergency services were soon at the scene.
The man was thought to be in his 30s, while the child was around 3 years of age. It is understood that they had been visiting relatives and were heading home. The man took a shortcut across the canal area, and tragedy struck. According to reports, it would not have been unusual for him to take that route.
While the exact circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear, Gardai do not suspect foul play. Instead, the event is being treated as a tragic accident.
It is not the first time a child dies in the canal area, according to a local councillor. Another child lost his life in the same stream a few years ago.