Promising Irish rugby player Nevin Spence was killed in a farm accident today, according to local media reports.
The 22-year-old, who played centre for Irish province Ulster, had been brought into the wider training group for the Ireland team during the 2012 Six Nations, but had not made his full debut. He had played three games for the second-tier Ireland Wolfhounds.
Spence was killed when he, two other men and a woman, who the BBC reported as being his father, older brother and sister, fell into a slurry tank on their family farm in Northern Ireland. A slurry tank contains animal waste and other biodegradable material that is turned into organic fertiliser.
All four were pulled out of the tank, but the three men died, the Irish Times reported the local ambulance service as saying. The woman was taken to hospital for treatment.
Spence had an injury-blighted start to the current season and played for the Ulster Ravens against Munster A on Friday, as he worked his way back to full fitness.
News of Spence's death was rapidly spread throughout the Twittersphere, with All Blacks first-five Dan Carter, world golf No 1 Rory McIlroy and Wales winger George North all tweeting their condolences.