An RNLI officer has described the heartbreaking and traumatic scenes of witnessing families watching on helplessly as efforts to locate two missing teenage boys unfolded.

Emmanuel Familola, originally from Nigeria, and 18-year-old Matt Sibanda, from Zimbabwe died after getting into difficulty in the water near Buncrana, County Donegal, on Saturday.

Joe Joyce, the RNLI press officer for the Lough Swilly lifeboat station, said this was a very difficult incident to attend.

Hundreds of people attended a special service at St Mary’s Oratory in Buncrana on Sunday in their memory.

The tragedy unfolded on Saturday afternoon after the Irish Coast Guard received a report that there were a number of people in difficulty in the water.

It is understood a group had been playing football on the beach at Ned’s Point, just outside Buncrana, and some had gone into the water to retrieve a ball.

Later that evening, an 18-year-old male’s body was recovered from the water.

A juvenile who was rescued from the water was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital, where he died in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A third teenage boy managed to make it back to shore.

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme on Monday, Mr Joyce said that when they got the call on Saturday, they immediately launched two lifeboats.

“A number of requests were made to Malin Head Coast Guard for assistance, and we launched two of our lifeboats.

“Malin Head also put out a ‘Mayday’, asking anyone in the vicinity to come and assist us.”

He said a former RNLI crew member, who was on the lough in his own personal boat, assisted in the incident.

There was also an Irish Coast Guard helicopter and drones used in the search operation, Mr Joyce said.

“There was a local yacht race happening that day, and they stopped that and assisted with the search,” he said, adding there were about 60 people involved in the search at that stage.

“It was terribly traumatic to look at the families watching out over the lough and praying,” he said.

Mr Joyce said support services have been put in place following the incident.

“The schools have opened up to give counselling and we are looking after our own team, and everyone is just shocked.”

“Father Bradley arrived on the scene to give comfort to the families and led a short prayer service,” he said.

“There was an eeriness that hung over the pier — it was a terrible scene.”

Mr Joyce said the area is a popular swimming spot and noted that waters can change dramatically and quickly.

Fr Bradley said he was present alongside the family of 14-year-old Matt, one of two teenagers who tragically lost their lives in the incident, on Saturday.

He describing the experience of standing beside his mother at the shoreline as “unspeakably tough”.

“We simply said a prayer with Matt’s mother, out over the water, simply begging God that his body would be found,” he said.

“The power of a mother’s love is amazing, as I stood there and listened to her call out Matt’s name, trying her best to bring him back to life, as she once gave him life”.

He said the area has been rocked by tragic events in recent years.

He told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme that this one is still incredibly raw and difficult to speak about.

“The tragedy that this is, that people who survived so much and did so much to escape difficulties they were in their own home countries,” Fr Bradley said.

“They were children under international protection orders, but no international protection order unfortunately could prevent them from the tragedy that befell them.

“It is truly unspeakable; it doesn’t so much as leave numb but reminds you of the powerlessness of our human condition at times.

“One thing that crosses all boundaries is heartbreak, sorrow and grief.”

Evelyn McLoughlin principal of Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana, where Emmanuel attended, said there were “no words” that could “fully capture the pain and sorrow that we are feeling”.

Kevin Cooley, principal of Crana College, where Matt attended, said “there is a dark cloud of sadness over Buncrana”.

Councillor Fionán Bradley, who knew Emmanuel personally, said he was “a beautiful person inside and out”.

“He was universally loved by everybody both inside and outside of school,” he said.

“Since Saturday evening a real cloud of gloom and darkness, and a real sombre air has been over the whole town and whole community”