Two men have been killed in an accident on the River Shannon. The men were carrying out maintenance works on Thomond Bridge in Limerick when a cable attached to a crane that was holding the cage in which they were standing snapped. The incident occurred at approximately 3.45pm.
The cage plunged into the river, trapping the men under the surface. It was a number of minutes before rescue divers could reach them. A third man who had been in the cage at the time managed to free himself while under the surface and swim to safety.
The men were pronounced dead at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) shortly before 5pm this evening. According to a source the three men were wearing life jackets and fall arresting safety harnesses generally used in line rescues or by anyone working from dangerous heights.
Thomond Bridge has been closed by Gardaí as well as some surrounding streets. Gardaí and the Health and Safety Authority will conduct investigations into the incident.
