LONDON -- Ireland is mourning the deaths of six university students following the collapse of an apartment balcony in Berkeley, California on Tuesday, all of whom were from Ireland.
"I have heard with the greatest sadness of the terrible loss of life of young Irish people and the critical injury of others in Berkeley, California today. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of all those involved," Michael D. Higgins, the president of Ireland, said.
His sentiments were echoed by Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Enda Kenny on Twitter.
We mourn the tragic loss of young lives in California this morning. Spoke with @USAmbIreland who offered sympathies of the American people.— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 16, 2015
Kenny made an emotional statement in the Irish parliament.
"It's truly terrible to have such a serious and sad incident take place at beginning of summer of adventure and opportunity," he said. "My heart breaks for the parents who have lost children this morning. I can only imagine the fear in the hearts of other parents whose children are in California as they seek to contact them."
Four of the six died at the scene and another two students died in the hospital following the tragedy. They have been named as Irish-American Ashley Donohoe 22, from Rohnert Park, California, Olivia Burke, 21, Eimear Walsh, 21; Eoghan Culligan, 21, Niccolai Schuster, 21 and Lorcan Miller, 21 who are all from Ireland. Seven others are being treated for serious, life-threatening injuries.
Around 8,000 Irish university students have travelled to work in the United States this summer on J-1 work and travel visas. An estimated 150,000 Irish students have travelled to the U.S. on J-1 visas since the cultural exchange programme began in the 1960s.
Irish television presenter Dara Ó Briain was one of the many expressing their sorrows on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
Desperately sad news from the US, of those Irish students killed or injured. We've all done that J1 trip; we will all share the loss.— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) June 16, 2015
For non-Irish, the J1 is a summer US visa trip that practically all Irish students do.— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) June 16, 2015
Some of the deceased were students at University College Dublin in Ireland.
Our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost their lives or were injured in the tragic event in Berkeley, California— UCD: Uni College Dub (@ucddublin) June 16, 2015
As the names were released Tuesday evening, more began to emerge about the six victims who died.
Sad news that many of the students involved were past pupils of St. Marys, class 2012. Our thoughts with their family & friends #Berkeley— St.Marys PPU (@StMarysPPU) June 16, 2015
The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) said it was shocked and saddened by the tragedy, adding that it was anxiously awaiting further information from authorities.
"The thoughts and sympathies of the whole student movement in Ireland are today with the families and friends of those young people caught up in this terrible event," USI President Laura Harmon said.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin said a book of condolence would be opened Wednesday for people to pay their respects.
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