Jonathan's mum, Joyce Adebanjo, said her son was a "nice guy" and a "peaceful person".
She is now in contact with other drowning victims' loved ones to prevent further deaths and improve signage around the river.
What's wrong with the signage then?
She added: "A smartphone was bigger than the signage there.
"Nothing has been done to prevent these deaths in the most dangerous part of the river.
Apart from
all the warnings, the previous deaths, the expectation that people take responsibility for their criminally-stupid actions, you mean?
"I'm working to start a class action with other families who have lost relatives in the river.
"Next week I am meeting with a mum who lost her son near to where Jonathan died. We are going to come together. It's someone's child, someone's brother who has died.
"I want something to be changed. My son is not going to be a statistic."
He already is. Nothing's going to change that.
A sign located around five metres from the ladder where Jonathan entered the water indicated that people had previously drowned in the basin, the hearing was told.
No point putting up more signage for Darwin Award winners to ignore.
Why did he need to cool off - doesn't he come from a hot country ancestry? And we all know they can't swim.
ReplyDelete'Ad a banjo - would have been more helpful if he'd had a flotation aid ...
Not an aspiring Olympic swimmer then?
ReplyDeleteJaded
Yolo, Banjo. Da man not playin dat ting agin.
ReplyDeleteI used to live across the river near similar docks. Signs everywhere. Idiots still drowned in them every single summer.
ReplyDeleteThis is sad. A waste of life. It won't matter how big the signs are, unfortunately people will learn the hard way.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who regularly goes open water swimming I'm left wondering what the problem is here. Fast moving water is always dangerous but that doesn't appear to be a problem here. You never swim alone, that is non negotiable, again not a problem here. Cold can be a problem, we use wetsuits unless the water is tepid. Of course I am mixing with experienced triathletes who are pretty accomplished swimmers, is the problem people who think they are better swimmers than they actually are?
ReplyDeleteS,
ReplyDeleteFrom experience of dealing with drownings in rivers by swimmers wanting to cool off, alcohol and/or drugs seem to play a significant role.
Penseivat
Perhaps he couldn't read? Couldn't or wouldn't?
ReplyDeleteAh yes, alcohol, that is another absolute no no for open water swimmers. Its presence would explain quite a lot.
ReplyDelete"Not an aspiring Olympic swimmer then?"
ReplyDeleteSNORK!
"I used to live across the river near similar docks. Signs everywhere. Idiots still drowned in them every single summer."
Think of it as evolution in action.
"...is the problem people who think they are better swimmers than they actually are?"
The problem appears to be tolerance of idiocy. Remove all signs and let Darwin have free rein.