Buncrana Pier: Baby girl 'handed out of window' by family seconds before car sank in Donegal

Local people managed to rescue her before the car sank

The family drove off Buncrana Pier in Co.Donegal (REX Features)

The baby daughter of a family who drowned when their car slipped off a pier in Ireland was rescued before the car went under, according to reports.

Local people managed to save the fourth child, a baby girl, from the car after she was reportedly handed or thrown out of the window just seconds before her family's vehicle sank.

A family of three more children and two adults died in the car after it slipped on algae at Buncrana Pier in Co. Donegal in north-western Ireland, according to the Belfast Telegraph.

The surviving child, believed to be a few months old, was rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital by ambulance crews but her condition is not yet known.

It is believed the family were from nearby Derry in Northern Ireland and were visiting the area, the Irish News reported.

Several emergency response teams attended the scene - including a Rescue 118 helicopter from nearby Co. Sligo.

The Irish coastguard said the incident was a "tragic accident".

Locals have said there have been a number of incidents where cars get into difficulty near the pier in recent months at the slipway usually used by ferries.

A Garda spokesman said emergency crews were still at the scene.

He said: "Gardai and emergency services are at the scene of an incident that occurred at Buncrana pier this evening.

“A car entered the water and a search of the area is currently ongoing.

"No further information at present."

An eyewitness told Donegal Daily: "I am looking at a number of people, I don't know how many yet and they are covered with blankets.

"Nobody knows what happened. It is just so sad, so distressing".