Little SA girl dies in tragic water sport activity in UK

[Tui]

Hi all


My heart is so, so sore.... just read on News24 that a little girl lost her life over the weekend. She was at a friends birthday party - and was on one of those banana thingies, she was flung off, and the boat that was towing the inflatable banana went over her..... I cannot for one second imagine what those parents must be going through! To immigrate and then to lose your beloved child is way too much for anyone to bear. She was Mari-Simone Cronje and was just 11 years old, the same age as my daughter.....oh my word.....

Let's all tell our children every day, just how much we love them..... As life can change in a blink of a eye!!! That is yes indeed, every parents WORST nightmare........

My heart, thoughts and prayers goes out to all her family and friends!...


Kiwiwannabe

[Tui]

This is just too awful - just how bad must that 22 year feel..... They say that 'things happen for a reason'..... Two lives completely shattered!


Kiwiwannabe

[bunnkh]

They should ban those "Banana" things....a friend a few years back was knocked out after being hit by one, was in a serious way. Had to learn to talk again. Was a long recovery for her & a tressfull time for the family.

[frodo/maya]

Terrible! 

[Shirls]

We had a boat in SA and I hated towing people on the tubes... I asked our friends to sign an indemnity form!! What if....

Those banana things are dreadful too - my FIL came off one and broke his jaw and had a few shattered teeth to boot!

[Tui]

I tucked my daughter into bed tonight - and  and thanked God!! That she was right there, safe and sound in her bed! I really had a huge lump in my throat today after reading that article.... And such a beautiful little girl as well....

Kiwiwannabe

[Savayla]

I have to disagree with everyone so far and be prepared for being bombarded with    Don't get me wrong, I think it is very, very tragic.  Such a young life .

I spent my life on these tubes as we had a damn on our farm where we skied, and also the pont nearby.  I also spent my life horseriding.  Even if people are careful, accidents happen, which is why it is called an ACCIDENT.   Unfortunately, like life, it is the luck of the draw.  This was not a freak accident, it was an accident, and it is a shame that a 22 year old has been arrested for it.  That could have been my brother driving that boat. 

Still trying to figure out how the ski boat hit her, was the rope too short ?  Did she get flung really far into the path of the boat ?  Yes, if he was driving like an idiot and turned so sharply that the boat came very near to the kids, then he should be held accountable, but nothing like jail etc.  Then two families lives have been ruined. 

It happened to a school friend of ours, but unfortuntely it was her father that was driving the boat, his 10 year old son was ski-ing, and he turned sharply, and tragically, the propellar cut into his sons head and although he was airlifted to the hospital he died.  This rocked our little community, but the father was not arrested. It was an accident.   He has had to live with that for the rest of his life. 

It is easier to die when horse riding than by being on these tubes. 

[Savayla]

I have not read the article, so was not aware that rules were broken .  Yes, even on our dam (which was 8 acres ) we had a watcher.  It is very difficult to do it without. 

I guess what I was talking about, is how the whole world is becoming so PC, and wrapping everyone in cottonwool, and over protective.  A lady I know who runs her own creche, is not allowed to hug or pick up the kids in case this is construed as abuse.  I know this if off the topic, but it goes with everyone being so scared to do things in case they are arrested.  9 years ago my hubby and I were at Monkey World in Somerset West.  He went to the toilet and there were 2 little boys in there.  The one left and the little one, who he thought was about 6 years old, was battling to undo his zip or buttons.  Obviously he was so desperate that he t urned to DH and asked him to help him.  So he crouched down and started fiddling with the buttons to undo them.  He was so mad that the parents had allowed the young child to go in by himself, and when he came out and told me the story, I was horrified as I know that if someone had walked in, the whole scenario could have been misconstrued and our lives could have been ruined.  I wanted to tell the parents that they should tell their child not to  ask another person to undo their zips but they were no-where to be found.

But in this case, if the rules were not followed, then I completely understand.

[Paperdoll]

The boating rules in SA are strict and if you had a skier or someone on  tuber (or whatever you were towing), there had to be a watcher with a red flag to go up when the skier went down.  We had a boat at one time with a seat facing backward and I spent many an afternoon on the boat being the watcher and keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the person behind the boat.  Where we used go boating and skiing, everything was well controlled on the dam.  If you saw a flag go up from another boat, you would warn the driver of the bar and you immediately became careful because you knew there was someone in the water.  The dam was also controlled by officials and anybody being stupid or dangerous, they were taken off the water.

We are quite shocked at the lack of regulation about boating here in NZ.  There do not seem to be strict rules about safety.  And there have been tragedies involving boats towing kids these last 2 summers since we are here - and it is soo unnecessary.

[Savayla]

An update on this story.  There were 3 other people on the boat spotting, they all had life jackets and helmets on. 

the plot thickens. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10674335

[SA3001]

There are always two sides to every story.  Not necessary to always sensationalise everything.  As hard as it is to accept, an accident is sometimes just that - an accident