Max Wall (left) and Andrew O'Donnell (right) from Ireland, who died while on holiday on the island of Ios in the Aegean sea
Greek authorities are investigating the sudden death of two Irish teenagers during a 'initiation celebration' amid reports that one of the boys passed out when he learned of his friend's death.
Andrew O'Donnell and Max Wall, both 18-year-olds recently passed their final school exams and were vacationing on the island of Ios in the Aegean Sea.
The Dublin teenagers died at different places on the resort island within hours of each other .
Post- An autopsy is expected within the next 48 hours after Irish diplomats escort the bodies from Ios to Piraeus, a port city near Athens.
Flower laying outside St Michael's College Dublin Photo: Niall Carson/PA
O'Donnell's body was discovered by police Sunday morning in a ravine outside Chora, the main town of the Aegean island. It is speculated that the teenager may have fallen off a cliff.
He went missing last night after being separated from his friends.
Just a few hours later, Wall was found unconscious near port of the island. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance, but upon arrival he was pronounced dead.
There were reports that he was suffering from an underlying heart condition and that his death may have been caused by the shock of the news of his friend.
Eyewitnesses said that he was very upset upon hearing the news and physically passed out.
A group of teenagers from St Michael's College Dublin High School went on holiday to Ios. Photo: iStockphoto
The teenagers were part of a large group from St Michael's College Dublin High School who went on holiday to Ios to celebrate passing their A-levels, the Irish equivalent of A-levels.
“Everyone is still coming to terms with it because it all happened very recently,” said Tim Kelleher, headmaster of St. Michael’s, in an interview with the Irish Independent.
“It wasn’t until Sunday afternoon that they called me and said that one of the boys had gone missing during the weekend. Shortly thereafter, I was informed that Andrew's body had been found at the foot of a cliff in very stony ground.
“The news spread so quickly throughout the island and here at home. Naturally, the guys are injured. This is a very close-knit group of kids, most of them have been going to school together since the age of four.
Tributes and flowers near St. Michael's College in Dublin after the death of two recent graduates. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.
“Later on Sunday afternoon, I got a call saying it was probably among the guys, and shortly after that, his parents confirmed it. They were planning to fly there when I spoke to them, so we had two groups of bereaved parents flying there.”
Wall was praised by the school as “a very bright, constant source of positivity”, O&# 39;Donnell was remembered as “a fantastic young man and a great sportsman.”
Michel Martin, Ireland's foreign minister, said the news was “devastating and the most traumatic news any parent could ever hear.”
Simon Harris, Minister of Higher Education, tweeted: “The devastating news is coming from Greece. Thinking of the families and friends of Andrew and Max and all the Leaving Cert students abroad in Greece who enjoyed their post-exam break and are now experiencing such shock, pain and grief.”
A memorial service will be held in honor of the teenagers after their bodies are shipped back to Ireland.
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