Just the other day we reported how Savita Raj and her family had been searching in vain for her son, Vikash Vinay Raj, 29, who went missing near the Dreketi tramline bridge in Saweni, Lautoka, on December 13.
Her son, she said, was last seen by a friend diving from the bridge into the water to swim. She said around 6pm, Vikash wanted to go for a swim.
“I don’t know why he would go there,” Mrs Raj said.
“All I know is that he had gone drinking there with a friend.
“According to his friend he jumped off the bridge and after a few minutes he was calling out for help.
“He ran to get help but by the time he got back with a police officer, Vikash was gone,” she said.
It was a devastating experience.
Police confirmed the search for the missing man.
As investigations continue, we are reminded about the importance of water safety.
We are reminded about the issue of complacency, and why it is important for us to be vigilant and proactive.
As the country goes through a period of heavy rain and flooding, we reflect on water safety.
The World Health Organization, in a report on July 25,2023, listed drowning as the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7 per cent of all injury-related deaths.
There are an estimated 236,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide.
Unfortunately, many of us do not know how to swim, leave aside understand water safety issues. It says children, males, and individuals with increased access to water are most at risk of drowning.
We live in a country surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and appreciating water safety is important.
It may save a life. It is equally important that we understand our limitations under various circumstances, and especially now as we are well into the festive season, when many Fijians would be enjoying the many rivers, creeks, and beaches around us.
Thousands of families will make a beeline for the many beaches and waterways that surround us.
They will travel there with their loved ones, to enjoy the day.
Accidents can happen, and they do happen when we allow them!
We are reminded that some families are drowning in sorrow right now. If it isn’t connected to a drowning incident, then it may be because they are unable to afford to celebrate the festivities for various reasons.
In saying that, we hope for change, and for a better understanding of how to break the cycle of drowning, and generally, how to be safe at our beaches and waterways! Water safety is everyone’s business.
