The man who drowned following a car theft in Cork on Friday last has been named. He was Mr Declan Staunton (21), of Iona Green, Mayfield, on the northside of the city.
He was a passenger in an Opel car, driven by a 15-yearold from the same area, which was stolen at Anderson's Quay shortly before 10.20 p.m. on Friday.
The car was then driven in the wrong direction and against the traffic flow along Horgan's Quay, where it went out of control. It is believed that the brakes on the car may have locked. It then careered through metal crash barriers along the quayside and plunged into seven metres of water.
Passersby saw both Mr Staunton and the driver, who is being treated in hospital, managing to get out of the car and threw lifebuoys to them in an attempt to bring them ashore safely. The young driver managed to grab the lifebuoy but Mr Staunton was seen struggling in the water and then disappeared.
Divers from the Naval Service diving team at Haulbowline in Cork Harbour recovered Mr Staunton's body at 1.20 a.m. on Saturday.
A port-mortem was carried out over the weekend. Mr Staunton will be buried tomorrow.