WHAT

[velessa]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38533071/ns/us_news-life/

While this is very sad, I am utterly baffled by the sheer STUPIDITY of it all.

A large group of people is gathered for a family barbecue or something along the bank of a river. A bunch of the kids go wading into said river...and NONE of them know how to swim. The kids are walking along and suddenly fall into a deep unseen sinkhole, where six of them then drown, because NO ONE else at the gathering, including all of the adults, knew how to swim!

I find this mind-boggling. From the time I was little, I was taught to be incredibly careful and respectful of any body of water, especially one with a current. Whenever we went out on our boat, we were in life vests if we didn't know how to swim, and often even if we did, just because we were little and probably couldn't keep up treading water for very long. If we went swimming or playing at a pool or beach, we could swim and/or were under the strict supervision of an adult who could. Otherwise, we weren't allowed in or near the water, simple as that. This, to me, is just common sense.

So how in the world does something like this happen, where an entire family of non-swimmers not only chooses a RIVER for their family get-together, but then allows the kids, even if they're teenagers, to play in the water with no means of helping them should an emergency arise? Those poor parents had to just stand their and watch their children drown because they had no way to rescue them! So many of them drowned because they were each trying to save the other, which of course didn't work since none of them could swim. So...why were they allowed in the water in the first place?? I JUST DON'T GET IT.

Just because you're walking along the shore doesn't mean something bad can't happen, like, I don't know, you get hit in the head by a baseball and are knocked out into the water and swept away. Or in this case, you step off a ledge you couldn't see through the murky water and fall into a deep pit. ALWAYS respect water, people! If you're going to be around water, no matter how shallow or safe you think it is, for the love of cheese and crackers, at least learn how to tread water, float, and dog paddle first! Then at least you'll probably be able to stay above water long enough for someone to rescue you.

ETA: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38559284/ns/us_news-life/

Comments

[89rodeogirl.livejournal.com]

This is EXACTLY what I thought when I read it! Especially the part where the lady was like "I could only watch them drown because I don't know how to swim!"...Okay SERIOUSLY?!? Not ONE person thought to bring any type of flotation device just in case? I've always been a water bug so I can't imagine what it would be like to not be able to swim but as a teenager isnt it sort of common sense? Back float...Doggie Paddle...Swim under water... Tread water...Something? Anything?? Nope, instead we'll make a chain of people that have no common sense and all go down together! WTF?

[ltdead.livejournal.com]

And weren't there any towels or ropes they could have tried to throw out towards them, to pull them back in? Knot some shirts together, and toss those out as a rope? Seems like there shouldda been something they couldda done...

[89rodeogirl.livejournal.com]

Tree branch???

[nicole-mk.livejournal.com]

I heard about this from a co-worker, how sad! But like you said, why would you pick a river for a family gthering when no one can swim? And honestly, I understand the adults couldn't swim either, but if that were my child I'd be in that water after them without even thinking, knowing how to swim or not. I'd find a way to get to my kid or die trying, but I wouldn't just stand around watching these kids and my own child drown. That's just me though. But really, this is heartbreaking all around.

[emptyvanity.livejournal.com]

I was just talking about this with someone at work...it's unbelievably sad, but what? NO ONE knew how to swim/stay afloat in water? The whole swimming thing boggles my mind, but I grew up in a family of swimmers. Still, it's not exactly a calm river, and it sounds like it was known for being a poor choice to swim in even if you do know how.

[ernestinewalker.livejournal.com]

I never liked my swimming lessons as a kid- I was absolutely terrified. I taught myself how to kinda figure it out when I was 10, and my first college roommate put the finesse on my style. LOL

I think that learning to swim is a choice, but if you're planning to spend time near water, maybe just do a quick Google search about water safety. At least one person, y'know? It's just like everything else- you need to know the organic risks! Crap, just last week, I was wading in the ocean, and a rip tide came roaring through. Luckily, we all knew how to deal with it!

[velessa.livejournal.com]

I detested swimming lessons too, especially after my instructor tried to drown me (never went back after that!) and now don't like swimming, BUT I still know how to keep myself above the damn water and swim if I have to. It's just idiotic to spend time around water and not even know the basics of how to save yourself.

[mutive.livejournal.com]

Really, you're not supposed to swim after someone drowning...you're likely to be pushed under. (According to life guard training...I have so many hidden abilities, no? ^_^)

But did no one have a towel? A branch? Something? Makes me think that they're all idiots...

[velessa.livejournal.com]

I'm inclined to think so as well...

[crazymule.livejournal.com]

Having worked as a lifeguard for a while, this actually does not surprise me. It is very sad, but I would routinely have to pull people out of the wave pool/ toilet bowl ride who moments before were swearing up and down that they could swim. Even people who think that they can swim(or at least think they can) generally can't to the extent that is safe for unsupervised water time. Fear of water can be a powerful thing, and for those unequipped with the skills of swimming leads to tragedies like this.

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

...what in the sam hill is a toilet bowl ride? I can't say it sounds terribly inviting.

[crazymule.livejournal.com]

Ours was called the Vortex. They are super disorienting and drop you in a big deep (14 feet) pool of water- I made about 4-5 saves a week at that ride....oy.

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

Ho-lee shit. Even if I could swim there's no way I'd ride one of those things. Though sometimes I do feel like I'm missing out, not being able to go to water parks or just plain old swimming.

[crazymule.livejournal.com]

They're actually really fun- but yes, only for strong swimmers!

[yukisama69.livejournal.com]

not surprised, but that doesn't mean they are not idiots.

[bella-cheval.livejournal.com]

[blinkblink]

I have no words.

[syolen.livejournal.com]

That's horrible, especially since it could have been avoided SO EASILY! D: What were they thinking? Oh wait, no, they clearly weren't...

[beybladesabre.livejournal.com]

What a bunch of fucking idiots. That story makes me angry, because HELLO COMMON SENSE!!!

I've been swimming forever and rivers and things STILL freak me out just because I understand the sheer power of a body of water, and because SHIT HAPPENS. You've got to have SO much respect for nature...that is sad as fuck but come on people... NO ONE thought that going into a river when you don't know how to swim was maybe not such a great idea??? :P *shakes head*

[mahkara.livejournal.com]

Yeah, natural bodies of water are treacherous. The currents can drag you under or buffet you in weird directions. If you're not totally OK with that *do not go in past your *knees*.

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

So sad, but also infuriating because it was SO easily preventable. I mean, jesus, no one thought that it might be advisable to bring one of those...floaty thingies? With the rope? That they throw to people when they're drowning? Do those have a name?

I can't swim. I learned how to swim when I was a kid, but, well, there aren't a lot of pools in the city. SO I DON'T FUCK AROUND NEAR WATER.

[hungry-worm.livejournal.com]

Incredibly sad and stupid. If it wasn't so sad, I'd think of the Darwin Award (although in this case I think the adults were the deadly stupid ones who should have known better, so the DA doesn't really apply anyway). People are just mindless and don't think before anything happens. STUPID, OBLIVIOUS PEOPLE! :-((((((

[velessa.livejournal.com]

Sadly I had to think the same thing, that's natural selection for you...

[alittledffrnt.livejournal.com]

Agreed. This same thing happens here allllll the time. I don't know who thinks its a great idea to bus up loads of inner city kids up to the river here every summer and let them loose in the water, but every year we have "horribly tragic drownings" where kids and teens who "didn't know how to swim" were drowned. WTF. Don't go in natural, flowing, unpredictably deep water if you can't swim. I know I don't know how to fly a plane- so I wouldn't just jump in one and expect to figure it out along the way. o.O