Dublin student dies after kayaking incident in US

A student from Dublin has died during a kayaking trip in the US.

Ella Mills, who was studying at Columbia University in New York, died in the incident on the Potomac River near Washington DC on Sunday afternoon.

The third-year Trinity College student had arrived in the US on an exchange earlier this month.

In a statement, Columbia University said she is survived by her parents, brother, and sister.

"Ella had a love for learning, was intellectually curious, and ionate about literature — eager to soak in new ways of looking at literature and viewing the world as a literary scholar," the statement said.

"She was an active member of the Trinity College Dublin community as part of the Trinity College Dublin drama society, the DU Players, the Trinity College Dublin Tennis Club, and the Philosophical Society, among many others."

A reflection service to her was held at the university on Monday evening.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was "aware of this tragic incident and is providing and assistance to the family".