Download River deaths in Northern Ireland

River deaths in Northern Ireland.
By Cora, Nicole and Nikita
Here is the image of the
scene
at
Newtonstewart
where a man drowned in a
hidden whirlpool. This man
was one of the two men
swimming in a river nearby
Newtownstewart.
This
is
occurring quite a lot with the summer weather and shows us the
dangers of swimming in open water. This young man was sucked into a
hidden whirlpool which brought devastation to the surrounding
community of Newtownstewart and Strabane. This is one of many
deaths in the summer caused by drowning. Described by his family as
a strong swimmer, he learned to fish on the banks of river Strule
where he died. He had a passion for fishing and was keen to pass it
on to his two sons.
This tragic accident occurred two days after a 15 year old boy got
into difficulty in Limavady. The young boy from Antrim was on a
family day out when he jumped into the river to retrieve a ball. His
distressed mother Josephine had to watch as family members tried
in vain to rescue him. He was eventually pulled ashore but was
unconscious. After being airlifted to safety, he later died in
hospital.
Another two deaths followed these events. A group of boys from
Annalong were swimming in the quarry at Glassdrumman road when
one got into difficulty. His body went into state of shock due toth
cold water temperature. Despite the efforts of his friends and
people in the area at the time, he sadly drowned also.
These examples are only a small selection of the many people who
get into difficulty or die when swimming in lakes and rivers. The hot
weather does not make the open waters safe. It attracts young
people who don’t know or understand the difficulties they are facing
and how easy it is to drown. They are risking their lives.
The Foyle search and rescue was established as a charity in July
1993. It was set up to protect human life around the River Foyle in
Derry/ Londonderry. The charity and its volunteers are very aware
of the huge responsibility that goes with this role. Their dedication
in patrolling the river and its banks all year round is the greatest
asset of Foyle Search & Rescue. The dedication of the volunteers is
unparalleled and is essential to make sure these deaths do not occur.
Foyle search and rescue is a charity which established a suicide
prevention strategy by being on duty at night. They stage
interventions through physical and personal contact with people who
are suffering from depression and may be considering taking their
own life.
They have many charity events to raise money for the organisation.
An upcoming events is the ‘3 bridges sponsored walk’ which you can
support by donating on the website o taking part in events.
Every year in the UK, around 400 people die from drowning as a
result of an accident in or around water therefore it is essential we
support such a fantastic charity.
Water safety code
 Make sure that you and your family can swim and have water
safety skills.

Making good choices, such as swimming at life guarded beaches
and pools and using safety equipment and not drinking alcohol
before going in the water.
 Keeping children and vulnerable people safe in and around the
home such as ponds, bath and swimming pools.

Taking opportunities for children and teenagers to develop
skills and knowing the risk and knowing what to do in an
emergency.
Other factors involved in River Deaths.
Suicide awareness
 Suicide is seen as a solution for people who become so
depressed that they just can’t cope any more. When
suicide occurs, it causes so much hurt and heartbreak
for the people close to them especially, but it also has
effects on many other people of the community or
sometimes a whole country. When people decide to
commit suicide they will always have a reason. The most
common reason for suicide is depression. Depression is
a dreadful disease. It is a common mental disorder,
normally caused by sadness, loss of happiness, feelings
of guilt, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of
tiredness, and poor concentration. At it’s most severe,
depression can lead to suicide. When mild, people can be
treated without medicines but when depression is
moderate or severe they may need medication and
professional treatment. A few symptoms of depression
are:
Bipolar affective disorder
 This disease is when people have major mood swings.
Those affected by the illness may have 'normal' mood
for months or even years. The mood-swings of bipolar
disorder should not be confused with the mood changes
that we all experience from time to time. They are
much more intense and can have a devastating effect
on the individual and their relationships.
 Postnatal Depression
 Postnatal depression is an illness affecting most
mothers. About one third of these will have developed
the symptoms during pregnancy. These symptoms
include tiredness, anxiety and irritability, but there
may not be feelings of sadness or unhappiness. This may
mean that they don't seek help as they believe it is a
result of sleep loss and coping with the new baby. It is
different from the 'Baby Blues' in that these are
experience by about 60% of women, usually starting on
the third day after birth. Symptoms include feeling
tearful and/or irritable for little or no reason. These
are due to hormonal changes and for most women last
only one or two days but no longer than 10 days.
Postnatal Depression generally starts a few weeks
after the birth and lasts longer.
 Unipolar depression
 Unipolar depression is where a person experiences one,
or more, episodes of low mood, loss of enjoyment or
extreme tiredness.
 These symptoms of depression can lead to the worst
case scenario suicide.
People who commit suicide can’t be blamed for their
actions, they just can’t help their feelings. If you or
anyone you know is suffering of depression, remember
that there is help available.
 Where can you get help?
 You can get help almost anywhere. You may get help or
advice from family or friends. Telling anyone can help
you feel more relieved. Keeping it in just makes
everything worse. You may need to get professional
help about your problems. You should never just give up
and feel alone, there is always someone there to help
you get through a tough time!

Companies like NSPCC, Samaritans or aware. These
are all types of places where provide help and listen top
your problems.

River suicide is a common problem in all places. The
Foyle search and rescue is a charity which helps all
people attempting to commit suicide by jumping into a
river. Based in Derry near the river Foyle they try their
best to stop any deaths happening. You can donate to
the Foyle search and rescue to save more lives by
visiting their website, www.foylesearchandresuce.org.