Syrian Father survived, Mother and children drown.

[howtorebuild]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35058733

I have noted a few cases where the Father survived the rest of his family. Do we not hear the story if the Mother is the lone survivor or are more Women and children drowning, if so why? I understand once on the sea there are reports of attacks by pirates coastguards and their boats punctured, so it's not just sea conditions involved.

I don't think, unless you've been chucked in the water fully clothed, that you really appreciate how hard it is to swim in real clothes. I know that I didn't realise until a boyfriend chucked me in a bath fully clothed and I found that I couldn't actually even manage to sit up - I've rarely been more terrified - desperate effort just to keep my head above the water - let alone sit up - until he realised that I wasn't joking and pulled me upright.

And that was only jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt in a domestic bath.

If I was dressed for a winter sea crossing, then frankly, I'm gratefully amazed that anyone makes it if they end up in the water.

? Really? I haven't and it's only 2 pages, hard for them to hide.

"lots of people have put forward reasons that children and women might be more likely to drown and we're all horrified at it. "

Children I would agree but why women?

Is it because men are typically stronger swimmers? What if the boat sinks and it is miles and miles from land and the water is freezing? Would you expect men to swim all the way to land? Anyone who tried that would just drown from exhaustion.

In many cases the best thing to do is stay put and wait for help, in which case women actually have an advantage over men with their higher body-fat. Fat is less dense (less heavy) than muscle and provides buoyancy, fat helps keep the body warm and is an energy backup when food is not available.

Have you read the thread?

Clothing, more likely to be down below, potentially less access to swimming lessons (I don't have any idea about this last, I don't know how common it is for people in syria to learn to swim)

Just the clothing alone - try and swim with a full length skirt vs trousers.

Well can't they just modify their clothing before entering the water like metimeisforwimps said?

Because in an emergency you're plunged into the water and don't think about it? Because if you do have more time you still don't realise the impact the clothing has?

Can you not think of reasons? Are you always cool as a cucumber in an emergency? How about the kids - are you calm and adjusting your clothes whilst trying to calm your kids and keep them afloat? I don't know, I can imagine that in the panic of a sinking boat, afraid and worried for myself and my kids that it wouldn't occur to me to start disrobing.

Perhaps now it would, but if I had no previous experience? Do you not have even a little empathy here?

This isn't something I want to think about.

I've never been in a serious situation with my kids, but I have had near misses, and my mind went blank. Let me assure you that when my kid started making a break out into a road from a carpark, the last thing I was thinking about was my own safety. I ran out into the middle of that road and grabbed him, and luckily, all the traffic stopped.

My friends, family and colleagues would classify me as a bit cold, standoffish, and logical. Least likely to panic in an emergency, I myself would never have imagined it, but my kids are more important to me than I am. I hope that after this I would have the presence of mind to remove extraneous clothing, but honestly, I think I would probably jump into that water without enough preparation if my kids were in danger, because I don't have logic at that point.

These people are getting into inadequate boats and being sold fake and ineffective life preservers. They are carrying all their worldly possessions. What is suitable attire for a 9 or 10 hour freezing cold overnight sea crossing where you might end up in the water? I'm not sure I would have that on me if I had to escape my home in a hurry.

It's a noble idea to send helicopters to provide safe passage for women and children. But safe passage already exists - most of the Turkish-Greek island routes have inexpensive daily ferries running for a €15 fare. Just the refugees aren't allowed on them.

The news here reported that he was the person in charge of the overloaded boat and was paid for that. The first reports were more sympathetic until this info came out from other survivors.

Could you post a link to that amarmai? I can't find anything saying Ali Alsaho was in charge of the boat.

no idea how as i didn't take notes while listening to the news! You? What i remember is that they have family in B.C. and had planned to join them until info came out from survivors which scuppered his chances of being approved for refugee status. He denied he was in charge of the boat and said he was returning to where he came from.

Sorry, crossed wires! I thought you meant the family who died last week, rather than the case from September.

Our new PM Justin Trudeau is giving priority to families and not single men in the huge Syrian refugee intake that has begun here.

How many are you taking in Canada?

He has pledged 26000 in the 6 weeks starting dec 10 and up to 50000 by end of 2016. They have already begun to arrive. I am so proud of him- the exact opposite to the previous PM.