Greek investigators are probing whether or not two Irish schoolboys who died within the house of simply 24 hours on the Greek island of Ios this weekend had their drinks spiked.
The deaths of the 2 18-year-old classmates, Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall, are stated to have ‘traumatised’ their associates, who’re flying dwelling at present.
The youngsters have been on a post-exam vacation celebrating the top of their secondary training with dozens of classmates from Dublin’s St Michael’s School when tragedy struck.
O’Donnell is believed to have fallen and hit his head whereas strolling dwelling alongside some cliffs to his lodge within the early hours of Saturday morning after an evening out in Hora, the capital of Ios.
‘Whereas the accidents on his neck and head counsel at first look that he strayed astray; that he tripped and fell, we’re additionally exploring prison negligence,’ police spokesperson Konstantina Dimoglidou advised the MailOnline.
‘The drinks that he and his classmates consumed could have been tampered with, main him to the state he was in when he left the bar early Saturday to return to his lodge.’
O’Donnell’s physique was discovered on Sunday morning, and information of his demise later that day triggered his buddy Wall to break down from shock.
Based on native media the teenager had a historical past of coronary heart issues.
‘Wall had a coronary heart situation and was just lately operated,’ Dimoglidou stated. ‘Nevertheless it stays to be seen whether or not some type of induced substance could have contributed to each sudden deaths.’
Dimoglidou added a autopsy attributable to be carried out Tuesday on the port metropolis of Pireaus can be ‘pivotal’ in establishing the reason for demise for O’Donnell and his fellow classmate Wall.
The boys’ devastated mother and father have travelled to Greece to deliver dwelling their stays, whereas their traumatised classmates are returning to Eire by way of Bristol at present.
Current graduates Andrew O’Donnell (left) and his classmate Max Wall (proper), each 18 and from the identical faculty, died in separate tragic incidents over the weekend
18-year-old faculty pupil Andrew O’Donnell, pictured with the household canine
Devastating loss: College students consolation one another exterior St Michael’s School in South Dublin
Irish Tánaiste Micheál Martin yesterday stated: ‘It’s devastating and essentially the most traumatic information that any dad or mum might hear and it’s each dad or mum’s nightmare and plenty of of our little children go overseas after Leaving Certificates and after exams.
‘Clearly a lot of their associates are on the market in Ios and it’s a really, very tough time for them now and we simply ask them to take care of one another over the subsequent variety of days and within the tough time forward.’
He stated Andrew and Max had been ‘two excellent younger males with their lives forward of them’ and that his ideas and prayers have been with the households and their associates.
Increased Training Minister Simon Harris stated his ideas have been with the pupils in Greece who have been ‘now encountering such shock and ache and grief’.
College principal Tim Kelleher stated he had been advised by the Tánaiste there are 1,000 college students on the island, who have been celebrating ending their Leaving Cert, 90 of whom are from St Michael’s School.
He stated information of the deaths had unfold shortly amongst fellow college students, including: ‘All of them wish to go away. They have been traumatised and folks have been saying I wish to get dwelling.
‘South Dublin is a small parish, all the colleges know one another, they play towards one another, they’re associates with one another, there are older siblings and associates everywhere in the space who’re deeply devastated.
‘It’s a tight-knit neighborhood. When one thing like this occurs there’s loads of hysteria and loads of worry and fogeys are ringing and everyone seems to be traumatised particularly the boys who have been with Andrew and Max. They’re traumatised.
‘They simply wish to come dwelling and can be all dwelling within the subsequent 48 hours.’
The previous president of St Michael’s Union, Tom McCormack, stated it was the ‘darkest day’ within the faculty’s historical past.
One of many school’s sister colleges – St Mary’s School in Rathmines, Dublin – was additionally caught up in an abroad tragedy involving previous pupils in 2015, when seven individuals have been killed after a balcony collapsed at a party in Berkeley, California.
McCormack stated: ‘It was a devastating day, we’ve been heartened by the quantity of messages from Authorities ministers, councillors, senators, different colleges.
‘Our sister faculty, St Mary’s, eight years in the past had the Berkeley tragedy and we are actually experiencing our darkest day.’
The School paid tribute to the 2 youngsters with a citation from Roman thinker Seneca.
An internet message on its web site posted this morning stated: ‘In loving reminiscence of Andrew O’Donnell & Max Wall.
‘The consolation of getting a buddy could also be taken away. However not of getting had one.’ Seneca.
St Michael’s School chaplain, Fr Paddy Moran, advised the Irish Examiner: ‘All the pieces is being executed to deliver them dwelling by no matter means and as quickly as attainable, we hope that’ll be inside the subsequent two to 3 days.
Two plenty can be held on Tuesday at 12pm and 6pm in reminiscence of Andrew and Max and ‘all who want to attend are welcome’, Fr Moran stated.
The Division of Overseas Affairs stated the stays of Andrew and Max can be introduced from the Cycladic isle to Athens at 8am at present for a put up mortem to find out the causes of their deaths.
They may then be launched to their households later within the week and preparations can be made to deliver them dwelling.
The Division of Overseas Affairs’ consular service will accompany the households.
Eire’s Rugby Union U20 squad, who at present play Fiji within the World U20 Championships, have been granted permission to put on black armbands to mark the tragic deaths O’Donnell and Wall, who have been associates with a number of squad members.
‘The fellows are positively in slightly little bit of shock, very devastated clearly with what’s occurred,’ stated coach Richie Murphy. ‘I believe that’s by way of the entire squad, clearly these guys know the younger boys lots higher than a few of the different members.
‘They’re positively feeling slightly bit higher at present and doubtless, not come to phrases with it, however clarified what’s occurring of their heads.’
Group Captain Diarmuid Mangan added: ‘Loads of lads in our squad would have identified the 2 boys. Everyone seems to be simply type of making an attempt to get across the lads and ensure they’re doing all proper and so they’re being picked up. It’s clearly an terrible tragedy and we provide our condolences to the 2 households.’
It comes as Greig Oliver, a former Scottish rugby international and the father of Ireland U20s player Jack Oliver, was also killed in a paragliding accident over Cape City yesterday.
St Michael’s School is extremely reputed for its sporting programmes, having churned out a slew of Eire worldwide rugby gamers together with James Ryan, Ross Byrne, Ronan Kelleher and Ryan Baird.
It has managed to ascertain itself as one among Irish colleges rugby’s most formidable forces, successful three Leinster Senior Cups and 6 Junior Cups.
Tons of of ‘traumatised’ and heartbroken college students are making their means dwelling from the Greek island of Ios (pictured) at present and tomorrow following the tragic deaths of two of their faculty associates
Tributes: Flowers left at St Michael’s School in Ballsbridge, Dublin, the place the 2 younger males attended
Tributes have been paid to the 2 youngsters, Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall, as ‘vivid, sporting, educational’ younger males
Andrew had gone lacking whereas apparently looking for his means again to his lodging alone, after an evening out with associates in Hora.
He was final seen at round 1.30am on Saturday.
The alarm was raised with native police by his associates at round 9pm that night when he did not return.
Following a serious search, his physique was present in a gully at round 10.30am on Sunday morning, near rocks on the foot of a cliff.
His physique confirmed indicators of getting fallen however it was not identified whether or not he had fallen from a top.
No sooner had that tragedy struck earlier than Andrew’s classmate Max Wall collapsed whereas ready for a ferry on the island’s port. The port is the one technique to go away the island and Max was ready to return to Athens to get a flight dwelling when he was discovered unconscious at round 2pm on Sunday.
Emergency providers rushed him to an area well being centre the place he was pronounced useless on arrival. Max had undergone profitable coronary heart surgical procedure three years earlier.
The regional police directorate of the south Aegean space, which is dealing with the investigation, stated it anticipated the put up mortems to yield solutions.
‘Andrew was discovered on a path between the port and city. It appears he fell,’ stated Brigadier Thanos Loukas, the directorate’s commanding officer. ‘Max was discovered very near the place the place he was staying. We’ve got since heard he had a historical past of coronary heart issues however the solutions lie within the autopsies. The reason for demise in each circumstances will develop into clearer as soon as they’re carried out.’
One other police officer stated witnesses who have been with Max stated the younger man develop into very distressed when he was advised the information about his buddy.
He added: ‘Max collapsed when he heard what had occurred. Everyone seems to be saying what’s true, that the incident is like an historical Greek tragedy. The entire island is in shock.’ Dimoglidou confirmed: ‘He simply collapsed and died. He was taken to the native hospital and his demise recorded.’
Minister for Training Norma Foley stated there have been ‘no phrases’ to explain the heartbreaking information.
Kelleher stated representatives of the varsity’s dad or mum affiliation had flown to the Greek island to help the households. He advised RTÉ’s Morning Eire: ‘We’re completely devastated, all the neighborhood is reeling with the information.’
He described Andrew as a ‘unbelievable younger man, nice sportsman, unbelievable footballer’ who was academically vivid, and had turned 18 lower than a month in the past.
He stated: ‘The world was his oyster, he was trying ahead to his vacation, trying ahead to going to school – a really, very vivid future. The boys had been trying to find him and so they acquired the worst attainable information yesterday morning.’
He described Max as ‘very vivid’, a ‘unbelievable footballer’ who was ‘captivated with rugby’. He added: ‘Once more, the world at his toes. Stuffed with optimism and hope for the long run. Sadly, each households acquired the information yesterday that their future had been taken from them and we’re clearly devastated for them, their household and associates and we’re right here to assist and help in any means we will over the subsequent days and weeks.’
He stated that the varsity was open for the week, {that a} ebook of condolences had been opened and helps can be found to those that want them.
Bouquets of flowers have been positioned on the faculty, the place the Irish tricolour and the varsity flag are being flown at half mast exterior the entrance door.
Kelleher continued: ‘It’s precisely the nightmare that each dad or mum dreads. You simply don’t wish to get that decision to say your little one is lacking. However two of our households have had that decision and we’re devastated for them and our hearts are damaged and our sympathy goes to all of them.’
The information comes only one week after Rory Deegan died on the Greek island of Zakynthos. The 22-year-old, from Co. Laois, was discovered unresponsive in a swimming pool and was later pronounced useless.
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