Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
News
Original poster

Canoe tragedy - now a third child has died

93 replies

edam · 27/08/2012 22:16

desperately sad story

OP posts:
timtam23 · 27/08/2012 22:26

I know, edam - 3 little children, it is so so sad, my DSs are almost the same age as those 2 little boys. And their father presumed dead too...I cannot begin to imagine the devastation for the 2 families involved.
The 8 yr old girl had amazing presence of mind to swim that distance and raise the alarm.

Such an awful few weeks for terrible accidents in the water, after the little boy at Burnham and the little girl in Portugal. RIP little ones.

mellen · 27/08/2012 22:28

Its horrible isnt it. Sad

Original poster
edam · 27/08/2012 22:29

Gosh yes, hadn't made the connection with the other accidents.

OP posts:
Original poster
edam · 27/08/2012 22:30

I know f-all about canoeing or lochs but they showed the type of open canoe on the news and it did look quite dangerous. If you fall out, you fall out, there's no righting yourself - and with lots of people in one canoe, that's lots of people falling out.

OP posts:
bisjolympics · 27/08/2012 22:33

Heartbreaking that the men weren't wearing life jackets and it appears that the children weren't wearing life jackets suitable for their age.

scotlass · 27/08/2012 22:35

It's so sad.

RIP little ones.

Can't even begone to imagine how the 2 mums must be feeling now

winnybella · 27/08/2012 22:36

Tragic. Nevertheless, unlike in the other two cases, which seem to have been freaky, unpreventable accidents, here the adults apparently weren't wearing life jackets. The children had bouyancy aids, which is not the same as life jackets and not really suitable for small children for canoeing.

Original poster
edam · 27/08/2012 22:36

oh, that's interesting, bisjoly - story I saw said the children were wearing life jackets but didn't mention they weren't the right ones for their ages.

Desperately sad however it happened, but does seem to drive home the point that you have to have the appropriate equipment. If only the Dads had been wearing life jackets, maybe they could have saved some of the children... but it's all ifs and buts now.

OP posts:
bronze · 27/08/2012 22:37
Sad Rip all those who died So so sad
winnybella · 27/08/2012 22:38

And the ratio of 2 adults to 4 children, 3 of them small...sorry, I know it's terrible, terrible tragedy, but it didn't have to happen.

Lancelottie · 27/08/2012 22:42

God, yes, winny -- the rescuers found the little girl still floating, but if she'd had a lifejacket it would have kept her head out.

bisjolympics · 27/08/2012 22:42

Like winny said they were wearing the sort of life jackets which are fine if you can swim well. They help to keep you afloat but won't keep your head above water. I would only allow ds to wear one (aged 8 and can swim) if he was on a yacht and attached with a line. Other than that he has to wear a full life jacket - one that will keep your head out of the water even if you are unconscious.

bisjolympics · 27/08/2012 22:43

I also can't believe the courage of the 8 yr old girl who managed to swim an estimated 500m to get help.

Original poster
edam · 27/08/2012 22:47

indeed, that little girl is amazing.

bis, do you mean the small ones that just go over your shoulders rather than the big ones with a support for your head? When I went yachting with my Dad, I felt like a bit of a twonk in the full yellow trad lifejacket, am relieved to learn I was merely being sensible and those smaller lifejackets don't actually do the same job!

OP posts:
marquesas · 27/08/2012 22:48

Did the 8 year old swim by herself? When I first heard the news that's what I thought but on Sky I'm sure they said that she was with her father (the other adult in the canoe) and they both swam ashore. What a terrible situation for them both knowing they had to leave the others in the water.

LadyBeagleEyes · 27/08/2012 22:51

This tragedy is so close to home for me (geographically).
Yesterday was a beautiful calm day, I know the beach well and went many a time with my ds when he was small.
Things like this just don't happen here, it's such a quiet peaceful part of the world. Sad

bisjolympics · 27/08/2012 22:53

edam, yes the ones that look like thick necklaces. Not suitable at all.

8 yr old was with her dad but still an incredible feat and apparently she was the one who summoned help.

I wonder whose canoe it was? If they hired it I'd have thought that proper life jackets would have been provided. Ds is on a kayaking course this week and has to wear a proper life jacket.

expatinscotland · 27/08/2012 22:55

some parent mates from A's unit saw that family at Yorkhill today. so, so sad for them all.

expatinscotland · 27/08/2012 22:57

I thought the bouyancy aids were just for swimming aids. We used them on ours when teaching them to swim in a pool.

bronze · 27/08/2012 22:59

Bisight be a good idea to show links to what good and not

bisjolympics · 27/08/2012 22:59

A lot of people use them on yachts or river boats as they are less bulky than full life jackets. Fine if you can swim but useless if you can't.

bronze · 27/08/2012 23:00

Expat the buoyancy jackets are different to
Proper life jackets

onedev · 27/08/2012 23:02

So tragic.

timtam23 · 27/08/2012 23:03

winnybella, yes I had the same thoughts about life jackets, and the ages of the children/the adult to child ratio. It would be very very difficult for someone to save a child whilst trying to keep themselves afloat at the same time - even if a strong swimmer. And if there are 2 or more children...Lots of "if onlys" about this tragedy. The poor kids & poor families.

Ponders · 27/08/2012 23:04

something I read said (or implied) that the canoe had been bought, not hired - you would hope that a hire company would make sure that users had the correct safety kit

the whole thing is just horribly horribly tragic

Swipe left for the next trending thread