A 10-year-old boy has drowned off the coast of Cork this evening.

The coastguard has confirmed that they received several 999 calls shortly after 5pm to say a child had got into difficulty while swimming at Youghal.

The rescue helcopter based in Waterford was immediatley dispatched along with the youghal inshore lifeboat and the volunteer youghal coastguard unit.

The boy was located a short time later close to the lighthouse in the harbour and taken ashore where he was treated by medical staff.

He was then airlifted to cork airport and continued on by ambulance to Cork University Hospital.