Six-year-old boy drowns in Portugal

Updated 16.01 Fri Jul 25 2008

Keywords: Portugal, Co Londonderry

A six-year-old boy has drowned on a family holiday in Portugal.

Nathan Sharkey, from Claudy in Co Londonderry, was on holiday with his parents on the Algarve when he died on Thursday.

Nathan Sharkey, from Claudy in Co Londonderry, was on holiday with his parents on the Algarve when he died on Thursday

No further information on the tragedy was immediately available, but the Foreign Office is understood to be providing assistance to the boy's parents.

A member of staff at Foyle View Special School, which Nathan attended, said neighbours and friends in the family's home village were shocked by news of the tragedy.

Brenda Stevenson, a local councillor for the nationalist SDLP, said: "He was a bright, bubbly and lovely boy.

"His death has sent shockwaves throughout Claudy and our thoughts and prayers are with Nathan's family at this devastating time. You can feel the raw grief in the village, everyone is absolutely devastated. There is a feeling of 'Has this actually happened?'."

The news comes days after a 16-year-old from west Belfast died after falling from a balcony in Spain.

Padraig Burns, from Tullymore Gardens, was on holiday with a group of friends in Benidorm when the accident happened on July 19.