A Waterford teenager was one of five people killed in a no warning bomb blast which ripped a tourist minibus apart in a popular Turkish holiday resort, it was confirmed today.
Local and foreign tourists put flowers at the bombing scene in the Aegean resort town of Kusadasi, western Turkey today.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tara Whelan, a schoolgirl from Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, died in the terror attack.
The 17-year-old had been on holiday with a group of friends in the popular seaside spot of Kusadasi. She had been due to return home today.
Turkish police initially feared the blast was the work of a female suicide bomber, but aid today they now believed explosives had been planted on the vehicle.
A total of five people died and 11 were injured when explosives detonated as the bus was driven from the town centre to a beach.
The attack happened at about 10.45am local time yesterday as the bus made its way from the town bus station towards an area known as Kadinlar Denizi, or Ladies Beach.
Officials from the Irish embassy in Turkey were travelling to the holiday resort today. A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said consular diplomats were on their way from Ankara to the seaside resort.
"Ankara consular officials are travelling to Kusadasi today. They will be working through local authorities and we will have some people on the ground today to assess the situation," he said.
The schoolgirl sat her Leaving Certificate exams last month before travelling on the package holiday with a group of friends to the Aegean Sea resort.
Spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs
The spokesman said embassy staff would be assisting her family and friends. And he said there was no reason to believe a second Irish tourist had been caught up in the blast.
Minibuses depart from the centre of Kusadasi to the beach every five minutes during the day and footage from the scene showed the wreckage of the vehicle, which had its roof and sides ripped off in the blast.
The Government has warned all Irish citizens in Turkey, or those planning to travel there, to exercise caution and to be vigilant at all times.
Meanwhile, prayers were being said at church services across the diocese of Waterford and Lismore in memory of Tara.
Last night the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern condemned the attack saying once more it appeared that the bombers have struck against ordinary people.
- Sunworld Holidays has provided a helpline for those concerned about the bombing. (01) 881 4300