Ben Glen died in the River Nith in Dumfries at the end of April just days after celebrating his 18th birthday.
The devastated family of a teenager who drowned in a Scots river have told how they relive his death during every water tragedy.
Ben Glen died in the River Nith in Dumfries at the end of April just days after celebrating his 18th birthday. Ben was afraid of water and could not swim.
Since then at least 17 people – 11 of them teenagers – have died in water incidents across the UK during warm weather. Every time his family hears of another young death in water, Ian Glen, Ben’s father, told how he and his loved ones “feel what that family are going through”.
Now Ian and his wife, Cheryl, want to raise awareness of the dangers of open water and urge young people to think twice before taking unnecessary risks.
Ian, 42, told BBC News: “They all seem to be avoidable deaths. We don’t want any family going through what we’re going through at all – it’s the worst thing in your life that could ever happen,” he said.
“We don’t want other families to have to grieve their children.”
Emergency crews rushed to the River Nith in the Kingholm Road area of the town on the day of Ben’s death. A significant rescue mission was launched by police, Coastguard and firefighters but sadly Ben’s body was pulled from the water.
Ian ran to the river when he heard of the news.
Dad Ian said: “You would think it’s really noisy, but I just heard silence. I have to try and stay strong for [my children] because I kind of tell them like it’s fine they’re working on him. He’s gonna be fine. But the nurse in me probably thought no, he won’t be.”
Police told the family that Ben entered the water to retrieve a dog’s ball. He had been walking along the river’s edge with his girlfriend and her family. They had entered the water to try to help him but were pulled to safety by a passer-by. Ben was in the water for 45 minutes.
Ben never learned to swim because he was so afraid of water. On holiday in Benidrom last October, he wore armbands in the swimming pool.
Ian said: “We know he’s 18, a young lad, and they do silly things. Everyone’s been that age. But to put yourself in that danger – I don’t understand… and we just need the answers for it.”
Jane Dickerson, who works with Port William Inshore Rescue in Dumfries and Galloway said the recent spate of fatal water incidents was “absolutely heartbreaking”. “You feel so much for the families, for their friends and also for the people that have had to rescue them and deal with them and it makes you want to get that message out even more.”
She issued safety advice for those before getting into water, which includes: Stop and think. If it’s a coastal area, what is the tide doing? Are you aware of any currents? What is the wind situation? Stick with your friends and don’t leave anybody on their own.
If things do go wrong, she said “try and remain calm” and “float to live”. “Lay back, put your ears in the water to help you float and just calm yourself down.”
She said that anyone who sees someone in difficulty should not enter the water themselves and potentially become a second casualty.
She said: “If there is anything around, a throw line or a life ring or anything like that or any object that you can use, get that to that person that’s in the water but try and remain calm yourself so that you keep the person in the water calm and then just wait until the emergency services get to you.”
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