A YOUNG child has been killed in a tragic farm accident in County Donegal.
The child, an eleven-year-old girl, was fatally injured in an accident at a farm in the Malin area on the Inishowen peninsula yesterday evening.
Emergency services attended the scene at approximately 5.20pm yesterday, Wednesday 12 March, but the child was sadly pronounced dead.
Her body was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry via air ambulance where a post-mortem is expected to be carried out.
It is believed the girl was killed in an accident involving a tractor on the family-run farm.
The scene has been preserved pending a technical examination and the coroner has been notified, according to a Garda spokesperson.
In a statement, An Garda Síochána said:
"Gardai in Carndonagh are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a female child following a farm accident in the Malin area, Inishowen, Co. Donegal.
"The child was pronounced dead at the scene and her body removed to Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Co Derry.
"The scene is currently preserved for a full technical examination and the local coroner has been notified.
"The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have been notified and investigations are continuing."
There are concerns that the fair weather, as well as schools being closed due to coronavirus measures, will result in higher child fatalities on farm.
HSA inspector Pat Griffin previously told RTÉ that "farms are by far the most dangerous places of work in Ireland that we are concerned about this year, in that we may get a spike in child deaths in 2020."
