Father of Canada drowning victim in water safety appeal
THE father of a 26-year-old GAA player presumed drowned after jumping from a bridge in Canada has warned young people not to take risks when taking part in water-based activities.
Michael Gavin said that too often young male swimmers overestimate their capabilities.
Mr Gavin, who is water safety officer with Mayo County Council, said that jumping from a height as his son David did in British Columbia on June 30, was ‘not something one would be promoting’.
He added: ‘Anything can go wrong when you’re jumping into the unknown.’
Michael and Angela Gavin, along with their daughter Aoife, David’s girlfriend Ciara O’Malley and other family members have been in Canada since early last month as the search for Mr Gavin continues.
They returned last week for a memorial Mass in Castlebar which was followed by the planting of a maple tree at a nearby lake.
Now, Mr Gavin is returning to Canada to resume the search for his son.
He said: ‘Since David drowned there have been a number of other Irish citizens who have also drowned so we are not the only family suffering the pain of a loved one lost to drowning. Statistics show that young males are four times more likely to die by drowning than females in Ireland.
‘Coincidentally, the figures are very similar to those in British Columbia.’
Mr Gavin revealed further details of the tragedy, which happened at a logging bridge on the Beaver River as David and his teammates from ISSC GAA club in Vancouver were travelling to Calgary.
He said: ‘On a sweltering day, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius, David did not consider the temperature of the water.
‘The Beaver River is fed by waters from glaciers.
‘Anybody diving in risks heart failure due to cold shock.
‘David would also have been unaware of the fact that the river, which looks nice and calm on the surface, has extremely strong undercurrents,’ Mr Gavin added.
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