Members of the Roscommon sub aqua unit say the tragedy in which two brothers died yesterday in a diving exercise is a chilling experience.
42-year-old Fergus Brophy and his 34-year-old brother Philip from Ballybrittas in Co Laois, were testing a new underwater scooter at a diving centre in Portroe in Tipperary when they got into difficulty at lunchtime yesterday. .
It's understood the experienced divers were among the first customers to the centre which only re-opened yesterday morning, after being closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of the Roscommon Sub Aqua Club were also at the centre on a training exercise with new recruits when word spread that divers were in difficulty.
Regional Diving Officer Bernie McCarrick says they offered their assistance.