Shoreham sea tragedy prompts son of drowning victim to call for water safety minister

Shoreham sea tragedy prompts son of drowning victim to call for water safety minister The latest drowning tragedy to hit the UK this year has prompted calls for a meeting with the PM and the appointment of a water safety minister to stop the drowning 'epidemic' A son whose dad drowned in the sea off Hove in East Sussex, is urging the Prime Minister to appoint a water safety minister urgently after another ‘terrible’ and 'gut-wrenching' tragedy struck just minutes away from their home. Three members of the same family, a couple and their teenage daughter, died after getting into difficulty in the sea at Shoreham. A younger girl is also in hospital critical. Coastguard helicopters, ambulances and police were scrambled to the coastal town in West Sussex on Tuesday afternoon following reports that four people were in trouble in the water. It's thought the family were camping nearby. They entered the water for a group swim in the harbour, Sussex Police said. “This is a really shocking incident and it brings it all back very vividly,” Robbie Jones, now 30, whose dad died in the sea 14 minutes along the coast, told the Mirror. Robbie, who supports The Mirror’s ‘Save Lives for Sam’ campaign, has told how it took less than a minute for his dad Gareth Jones, 69, to drown after going into the sea to save the family's young cockapoo, Connie. Since the tragedy in 2021, his son has become a water safety advocate visiting schools to spread the message. But after this latest horrifying tragedy at sea, he is asking to meet Andy Burnham and says of the Labour leader’s support of our campaign: “Words won’t save people’s lives - actions will, Prime Minister”. He pointed out the PM recently appointed Baroness Blake of Leeds as fire minister, serving in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to tackle wildfires blazing across the country. He says he also needs to appoint a water safety minister, a role which could be added to Angela Rayner’s brief. The Mirror has been calling for a water safety minister since we launched our 'Save Lives for Sam' campaign earlier this year, to stop the “catastrophic” deaths of 33 children who drown in England every year - the equivalent of a classroom of children lost. We told how campaigners were warning drowning in the UK has become an "epidemic" and a "national emergency." Our campaign has been backed by bereaved families, the RNLI, The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), Lee Pitcher MP, the Black Swimming Association (BSA), The National Water Safety Forum, Swim England and The Swimming Alliance and Olympic legends including Becky Adlington. Robbie said: “I would like to arrange a meeting, let’s get something done here. Let’s not have another year like this, many of these drownings, if not all of them, were totally avoidable and many of them happening to our young people. “We need real action. I know Andy Burnham is a decent guy. I had a few weeks work experience with him at Westminster when I was 18 years old. And I know he’s a really generous and compassionate guy “It was gut-wrenching last night when I heard the news come through. When you hear of the tragedy and all being from the same family, it hit me hard, it’s horrible news. We had one drowning in one family and to have three in one family is unimaginable. "It makes me feel like I’m failing in my duty. Five and a half years ago I started trying to get the message out about water safety but the numbers are going the wrong way. “It makes me feel like I’ve got to redouble my efforts. It brought it all back, I have memories of playing in Shoreham and its regarded as a pretty safe beach and this is a reminder that it can happen in any circumstances very quickly. The tide and conditions can turn. “It would have been my dad’s birthday on Friday. He would have been 75 and he should still be here. I feel robbed not having here to have a pint with him. I don’t want anyone to have the same tragedy as I have, would not wish it on my worst enemies. Dads die but they don’t drown, it’s hard dealing with the grief. “We need someone dedicated to water safety in this country It’s not just the summer this happens, my dad obviously drowned in January. Accidental drownings happen when it’s not high season. It's not just just people living by the coast." A national strategy to address the “public health disaster” of drowning was launched in England last month. Among the measures being considered are: providing every child in England with water safety education and swimming lessons; establishing how climate change can increase risks; and media campaigns to inform bystanders how to respond to a potential drowning. Speaking at the announcement of the strategy in Canary Wharf, east London, on Thursday, Prof Mike Tipton, the chair of Water Safety England, said the measures would “eradicate the scourge of drowning”. He added: “Drowning is an ongoing public health disaster that, despite claiming more lives than fire, flooding, or knife crime, often stays below the radar.”