Gransnet forums

AIBU

Sad drowning deaths

(53 Posts)
Youngnanny Tue 26-May-26 13:51:06

So sad reading about the three teenagers who sadly lost their lives yesterday 😔
Yesterday I saw so many teens heading down to the local river — we’ve all done it, and in this heat the water looks so inviting đŸ„”. Such a heartbreaking reminder that open water can be far more dangerous than it looks.
My heart goes out to them and their bereaved families.

Casdon Tue 26-May-26 14:40:02

The saddest thing is that these deaths are avoidable, they are nearly always young men, who think they are invincible, and get out of their depth, or don’t understand about currents. Often there are warning notices, which they ignore too. Such a waste of lives.

Primrose53 Tue 26-May-26 15:03:25

Living near the coast we have lots of incidences of near fatalities where people and their dogs walk out over the beach and then get off by the incoming tide.

The RNLI go out and rescue them but during this week selfish, lazy people have parked their cars in spaces reserved for RNLI rescuers therefore delaying them setting off. These spaces are clearly marked as such but people just don’t care.

joannapiano Tue 26-May-26 15:03:39

I had a cousin who drowned in a park lake in hot weather, in the early 50’s. He was 11. I was only a toddler then. Terrible for his parents as he was an only child.
I am very aware of the dangers of water and was very vigilant if we took any of our kids or grandchildren near inland water or the sea.

Greyduster Tue 26-May-26 15:13:41

It’s surprising how many people openly ignore warning signs though. I used to fish at a very large upland reservoir and despite signs saying the water was very deep, cold, had currents (people don’t expect that in what appears to them to be still water) and hidden obstructions, they would cheerfully come down the bank, strip off and dash in. Being a licenced fishery, the water was patrolled by bailiffs in boats, but they can’t be everywhere.

Furret Tue 26-May-26 15:40:05

It’s simply tragic. And those young women, sisters, who drowned off 
Brighton was it?

M0nica Tue 26-May-26 15:45:02

Furret

It’s simply tragic. And those young women, sisters, who drowned off 
Brighton was it?

I tnink there may be a tragic story behind exactly whaat happened with those three sisters. It seems to not to have just been an accidental drowning .

AmberGran Tue 26-May-26 16:37:09

Primrose53 I was just reading appeals from the RNLI for people to keep the spaces clear for their rescue staff to park their cars. They had difficulty launching a lifeboat yesterday in Norfolk to rescue stranded people from a sandbank - people are even parking on the slipway apparently. So many entitled people with no consideration for anybody.

BlueBelle Tue 26-May-26 16:55:18

If you mean the three young ladies apwho drowned at Brighton Youngnanny they weren’t teenagers there were all in their thirties, one married the twins not. Terribly sad

Primrose53 Tue 26-May-26 20:19:33

AmberGran

Primrose53 I was just reading appeals from the RNLI for people to keep the spaces clear for their rescue staff to park their cars. They had difficulty launching a lifeboat yesterday in Norfolk to rescue stranded people from a sandbank - people are even parking on the slipway apparently. So many entitled people with no consideration for anybody.

Yes, that’s near me and the one I mentioned.

Cossy Tue 26-May-26 20:23:04

So very sadly, and for different reasons, we’ve had three adult sisters drown in Brighton last week and this week the tally is now 5 separate drownings, mainly young people, getting into open water to alleviate this heat! Very very sad thanks

Cossy Tue 26-May-26 20:24:44

AmberGran

Primrose53 I was just reading appeals from the RNLI for people to keep the spaces clear for their rescue staff to park their cars. They had difficulty launching a lifeboat yesterday in Norfolk to rescue stranded people from a sandbank - people are even parking on the slipway apparently. So many entitled people with no consideration for anybody.

Awful, selfish drivers, sadly see it all the time, living a big seaside town.

Stupid and irresponsible people parking and then daft adults who should know better getting themselves stranded!

keepingquiet Tue 26-May-26 20:27:36

M0nica

Furret

It’s simply tragic. And those young women, sisters, who drowned off 
Brighton was it?

I tnink there may be a tragic story behind exactly whaat happened with those three sisters. It seems to not to have just been an accidental drowning .

Where is the evidence this was not accidental? We have to wait for the authorities to do their job. Such speculation is not respectful towards the families.

If adults like wild swimming that's one thing, but children being drowned is a different thing altogether.

My heart goes out to all the families- and we are only at the start of summer.

More needs to be done to stop these unnecessary deaths.

Cossy Tue 26-May-26 21:48:16

keepingquiet

Those three adult sisters were fully clothed, they were not “wild swimming”
(Why we call swimming in open water this, is beyond me)

The news states their own mother drowned aged 43.

keepingquiet Tue 26-May-26 22:44:56

That sounds accidental to me, but as I said we have to wait for the tragic truth to come out.

Fallingstar Tue 26-May-26 22:56:25

Quite often when others go to try to save the person drowning they end up drowning as well. So tragic. It doesn’t matter how strong a swimmer a person is if they get caught up in dangerous currents.

Rosie51 Tue 26-May-26 23:04:07

All tradegies. I can't begin to imagine the pain of the families left behind, but my heart especially goes out to the father of the three sisters, how will he have the strength to carry on?

Fallingstar Tue 26-May-26 23:09:49

On the topic of people being irresponsible when visiting popular beaches etc., I find it bizarre how hot weather brings out the very worst in some people determined to have their jollies whether they park irresponsibly, leave all their litter, or put themselves in harms way. And am sure that the police and emergency services will be at full throttle inundated with idiots behaving irresponsibly in general, taking frontline personnel away from tending to those who need their services through no fault of their own.

Sarnia Tue 26-May-26 23:19:31

M0nica

Furret

It’s simply tragic. And those young women, sisters, who drowned off 
Brighton was it?

I tnink there may be a tragic story behind exactly whaat happened with those three sisters. It seems to not to have just been an accidental drowning .

Brighton beach has no sand, just stones and it shelves quite dramatically. One minute you are standing on shingle in water up to your waist and the next minute you are out of your depth. That's enough to make anyone panic when they are suddenly unable to feel the beach under your feet and in the dark.
Youngsters trying to cool off may be surprised at how cold open water can be even during a heatwave.
I grew up on a small island and to this day I have a healthy respect for the sea. It always has the upper hand.
So very sad for their families.

Wolfie59 Wed 27-May-26 13:38:36

Sad death of a 50 year old man in Cornwall who entered the water to try to help two people who had got into difficulties. He was a local man so would be aware of sea conditions and it's power. Just goes to show it can overcome anyone. Very sad news.

poppysmum Wed 27-May-26 13:59:53

by us there is a quarry and every year since I can remember they report someone dying there. what people do not think is that is a big hole that was dug out by the quarry people then when it is empty of what they want they fill it with water but underneath can be machinery wire fencing even natural caves a real death trap. Also often the water is very very cold enough to make people cramp up or have heart attacks.
Years ago my father applied for a job at a sand pit. They took his name but said they were full at the moment. As of the other quarry when the pits were emptied they filled in the pit with water. sadly that weekend two lads who had just been taken on decided to swim in one of the pits despite knowing the risks and both drowned. it was very sad but dad had a long job there

orly Wed 27-May-26 14:50:15

slightly off topic but why does Lloyds Bank advertise itself on TV with scenes of older women "wild swimming" and jumping off landing stages into cold lakes?

Astitchintime Wed 27-May-26 14:57:51

“


we’ve all done it”. No, we haven’t . I have a fear of water when I cannot see the bottom and the potential of having weeds clinging around my feet and legs terrifies me.

I feel dreadfully sorry for the families of those that lost their lives and this happens year on year whenever there’s a hot spell.

My AC and DGC all learnt to swim very competently when they were young and I’m so relieved that they’ve never gone swimming in lakes, rivers or quarry pits as the dangers were drilled into them by the swimming instructor.

maxmyers Wed 27-May-26 14:58:36

Terribly sad, but it happens every year in hot weather. I don’t know what the answer is, there are usually warning notices. More education?

Magenta8 Wed 27-May-26 15:13:39

According to the report I read, one of the teenagers who drowned was a girl who couldn't swim.