Two Irish teenagers die on holiday in Greece

Two recently graduated Dublin teenagers, who were classmates at the same school, have died while on vacation on Ios island.

Greek authorities have confirmed that they are currently investigating the deaths of Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall, which occurred in different incidents on the Cycladic island. The students had been part of a larger group from a Ballsbridge secondary school, celebrating the completion of their Leaving Certificate Examinations, the Irish equivalent of A-level exams.

According to a police spokesperson, Andrew’s body was discovered by officers at approximately 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, on rocks in a field outside Chora, the main town of the island. The body showed signs of a fall. The previous evening, a friend had reported Andrew as missing.

According to the same spokesperson, Max was found unconscious near the island’s port around 2 p.m., as reported by a member of the public. Emergency services were immediately informed, and he was swiftly transported to a hospital via ambulance. He was pronounced dead upon arrival. According to some reports, he had been suffering from chronic heart failure.

The police have stated that the bodies of the young men will be transferred to Piraeus for postmortem examinations.

Back in Dublin, their school, St Michael’s College, expressed profound sorrow over the devastating news. In a statement issued on Sunday, they remembered Max as “a constant source of positivity” and Andrew as a “popular” student and a “committed” footballer. Leinster Rugby said that people were “in shock” at the news of the two “young men gone far too soon.”

Offering his condolences, Irish Higher Education Minister Simon Harris described the news as “devastating.” His thoughts are with “all Leaving Cert students abroad in Greece who were enjoying holidays after exams and are now encountering such shock, pain, and grief.” [Combined reports]