Greek police probe whether two Irish teenagers who died on party island had their drinks spiked

4 July 2023, 12:03

Greek police are investigating whether the two Irish teenagers who died on holiday were spiked.

Andrew O'Donnell and Max Wall, both 18, were found dead in the space of 24 hours on the Aegean island of Ios.

The classmates were celebrating after finishing their exams with a raft of other pupils from St Michael's College in Dublin.

O'Donnell disappeared after a night out on Friday and his body was found among rocks on a pathway.

It is suspected that he fell and may have hit his head as we walked along cliffs to his hotel early on Saturday after partying in the island's capital Hora.

"Criminal negligence" is also being probed, according to police spokeswoman Konstantina Dimoglidou.

"The drinks that he and his classmates consumed may have been tampered with, leading him to the state he was in when he left the bar early Saturday to return to his hotel," she said.

Read more: School leaver 'dies in shock' hours after friend 'suffers deadly fall' while holidaying in Greece

Wall was found in the port area on Sunday afternoon. Reports say he collapsed in shock after hearing of O'Donnell's death.

"Wall had a heart condition and was recently operated. But it remains to be seen whether some sort of induced substance may have contributed to both sudden deaths," Dimoglidou said.

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A post-mortem on the two young men was due to take place today.

It has devastated the dozens of fellow pupils who had also flown to the island to celebrate the end of their time at secondary school.

Irish teenagers are reportedly trying to leave the island after the deaths.

The boys' parents have travelled to Greece to bring their remains back home.

Irish tanaiste Micheal Martin described the pair as "outstanding young men with their lives ahead of them".

"It is devastating and the most traumatic news that any parent could hear and it is every parent's nightmare, and many of our sons and daughters go abroad after Leaving Certificates and after exams," he said.

"Obviously many of their friends are out there in Ios and it's a very, very difficult time for them now and we just ask them to look after each other over the next number of days and in the difficult time ahead."

Flowers were left at St Michael's in tribute to the boys.

Simon Harris, Ireland's higher education minister, said: "Thinking of the families and friends of Andrew and Max and all leaving cert students abroad in Greece who were enjoying holidays after exams and are now encountering such shock and pain and grief."

Ios has become more popular among youngsters wanting to party, especially with Irish pupils leaving school after completing their Leaving Certificate.