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Tributes have been paid to mother-of-two Natasha Core, who drowned while rescuing her son

An Irish mother-of-two tragically drowned after diving into a lake to save her young son.

Natasha Core, 29, died after getting into difficulty while rescuing her nine-year-old son at Swan Lake, Gowna, in Co Cavan on Wednesday.

The latest tragedy occurred as more than two dozen people are reported to have lost their lives in drowning accidents across the UK in just one week, as experts warned the public to 'think before entering the water'.

The lake where Ms Core drowned was described by one local resident as 'dangerous'.

Speaking to The Irish Times, he said:  'It's very sad. No one swims in that particular part of the lake. There are steep shelves there and had they have gone up further to one of the other inlets those shelves may not have been there.'

The boy was not seriously injured and is being comforted by Ms Core’s partner, Joseph Donohoe.

Describing Ms Core - mother to two boys aged four and nine as a 'hero' - her brother Jason Mooney told Belfast Live: 'Lost for words. I can't get my head around it. 

'She was an outgoing person, a good mother, she was all for her kids, down to earth - she was just a lovely person.' 

A large-scale operation launched after 9pm involving the Coast Guard Helicopter, Fire services and Civil Defence, eventually recovered Ms Core's body, which was discovered around 15 to 20 feet from the shoreline. 

Ms Core pictured with her boyfriend Joseph Donohoe, who posted a tribute on social media

Gardaí said they were treating it as a 'swimming accident'.

Father Michael Bannon, parish priest in Gowna, Co. Cavan said he was called to the Swan Lake section of Loch Gowna at about 11pm on Wednesday night and administered the last rites to Natasha.

He described her as a loving and committed mother.

Meanwhile in a Facebook post, her boyfriend Joseph Donohoe wrote: 'R.I.P. to my girlfriend who sadly passed away last night, words can't describe how much I love and miss you. Already my heart is broke. 

'Me and the boys love you to bits. I hope you get the best bed in heaven because you deserve it. You were the best mother to the boys anyone could ask for. I love you Tasha until we meet again.'

Irish politician Niamh Smyth paid tribute on social media to Ms Core, alongside 15-year-old Killian Casey, who died on Tuesday after swimming in nearby Lough Sheelin.

She wrote on a Facebook post: 'Tragically we have lost two precious young people this week, Killian Casey and Natasha Core.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and communities as they try to come to terms with such overwhelming loss and grief.' 

A GoFundMe page was set up by Ms Core's cousin Anne-Marie Fox to help cover the costs of the funeral and had so far raised €8,899 (£7,619).

She wrote: 'Natasha tragically drowned saving her son's life. Natasha has left two young kids behind and anything you can donate will be really appreciated.

'We are so devastated and heartbroken over this tragic loss.' 

The freshwater Swan Lake in Co Cavan, Ireland, where Natasha Core lost her life (file pic)

The Irish Coast Guard has asked people not to swim alone and to avoid using inflatable toys in the open water, as it records a significant rise in calls outs and a rise in activity on the water.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday, Gerard O’Flynn, operations manager with the Irish Coast Guard, said the organisation has responded to 1,690 incidents this year to date, compared to 1,340 at the same time last year. 

He said that ‘the excellent weather combined with restrictions on other recreational activities’ has led to more people in the water.

He said the increased popularity of open-water swimming has many people swimming longer distances and he called on people to make sure they are visible in the sea by wearing a cap and a toe-float. 

The latest drowning occurred as multiple drownings were recorded this week across the UK amid soaring temperatures.

The UK's heatwave death toll hit 23 as Tyson Fury led the tributes to 16-year-old Frank Varey, a promising young boxer who was the latest to be killed in the water.

His body was pulled from the River Dee in Cheshire on Thursday, on the same day that three more deaths were confirmed.

A paddleboarder in his 30s died off the coast of Cornwall, a 19-year-old builder was killed in the water in the Yorkshire Dales while a 55-year-old father tragically drowned in front of his teenage children after the family were caught in a rip tide in North Yorkshire.  

'Please think before entering the water': Lifesaving charity warns public after spate of drownings

A lifesaving charity has warned the public to 'think before entering the water'.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) advised members of the public who aren't experienced in being in cold, open water to 'stay out, unless supervised'. 

It tweeted on Wednesday: 'A weekend of truly tragic fatal drownings, now rising to an expected 11 lives lost.

'We are urging the public to please think before entering the water. If you aren't experienced in being in cold, open water then please stay out, unless supervised.'

It came as the RNLI released new figures showing that 54 children and teenagers were saved by its lifeguards last summer, with 64 per cent being aged 12 or under.

The charity said it responded to 3,981 incidents last month - up from 3,536 in June 2020 - and added that its lifeguards came to the aid of 12,344 under-18s overall between June and September last year.