Two men have died while taking part of an Ironman triathlon event in Youghal, County Cork.

The men, one aged in his 60s and the other in his 40s, were participating in the swimming section when they got into difficulty in separate incidents.

They were removed from the water by the emergency services.

It is understood one of the men was Irish, but had been living in the UK, while the other was from Canada, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported.

The men were taking part in an Ironman 70.3 event, also known as a half ironman.

It typically involves a 1.2 mile (1.9km) swim, 56 mile (90.1km) cycle and a 13.1 mile (21.1km) run.

Gardaí (Irish police) said both men were pronounced dead by medical personnel and the local coroner has been notified.

The organisers of the event, Ironman Ireland, said they were “deeply saddened” by the deaths.

“During the swim portion of Sunday’s race, safety personnel provided immediate medical attention upon recognising the athletes were in need of assistance,” it said.

“We share our greatest sympathies with the families and friends of the athletes and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time.”

Cork County Council said it was currently offering “every assistance required to the Ironman Group and all those impacted”.

“We wish to express our gratitude to the response agencies involved, including our dedicated fire and emergency personnel for their unwavering efforts during this difficult time,” it added.

The triathlon event, which also features a full Ironman alongside the 70.3 event, continued on Sunday.