Swansea family call for action after boy, 13, drowns in River Tawe

Swansea family call for action after boy, 13, drowns in River Tawe

The tragic death of 13-year-old Kane Edwards, who drowned in the River Tawe near Swansea Enterprise Park in May 2022, has left his family devastated and concerned about the safety of other children swimming in the same area. Kane was swimming in the river with a friend when his foot became caught in a submerged tree, leading to him spending over an hour underwater before emergency services located him. His family has highlighted the absence of a nearby lifebuoy, with the closest one being a 20-minute walk away from the site where Kane tragically lost his life.

Following a two-day inquest in Swansea, coroner Edward Ramsay ruled Kane’s death as accidental, stating that he drowned due to being trapped by underwater debris in fast-flowing water. Despite possible delays in emergency services responding, the coroner confirmed they had no direct impact on Kane’s fate, noting that he likely drowned at the moment his friend last saw him. Kane’s family has called for increased safety measures at the swimming spot, emphasizing the need for a lifebuoy to be present to prevent future tragedies.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that Kane was unaware of the hazards below the water’s surface when he went swimming. The Welsh Ambulance Service faced challenges in locating the incident accurately, with the failure of the what3words app complicating matters. Despite the difficulties, improved call handler training now prioritizes automatic location systems to streamline emergency responses. Swansea Council has since implemented safety measures in the area, including warning signs along the river, the placement of a lifebuoy at a fishing platform upstream, and plans to plant hawthorn bushes to discourage swimming near the weirs

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More