Goa drowning: Help to find witnesses!

Chinadolly

I logged on to ask for advise on somewhere to stay near trivandrum train station and read Artrinas post (Goa Drowning)

Artrine i am so sorry to hear about your brother and send my sincere condolences to you and your family.
Time is a good healer, i say this from experience.

This is a wake up call also for me as i remember last year swimming out of my depth on a regular basis off candolem.I'll be a lot more carefull this year.

As for the advise on accomadation that seems insignificant.

terrye0_3

very sorry to hear of your bad news.
i was in goa on the 10th nov onwards,most of the beach shacks were not even built.
the only one that was open in the area of the csm hotel was a shack called THE BIG BANNANA. i would think this is a good place to look for help,

patti123

It doesnt matter how far you swim out,its where that bad current is. The shack i go to has a float, if i go swimming on Baga beach i use that.Ashuvem beach the shack owner has a big blown up inner tube from a lorry ,and i use that.
Years ago a shack guy saved a Uk guy from drowning.Pulled him back in to shore with the float. Never did see the Uk guy till it was his last night.He came in and asked for the guy who saved his life. He gave the lad a 50rs watch he got from the market !

john_almighty

That is such a bad news..... I lost an uncle of mine in hawaii.... he drowned in a very calm sea although he was a great swimmer ... we have still not been able to accept it ... and will never will be able to .... i know how it feels .....

I am so sorry for your loss.... My condolences with you and your family.....

machadinha

My condolences as well, Artirina.

As others have pointed out, waters there are notoriously tricky, and drownings sadly occur all too often. I managed to nearly drown in Varkala (Kerala) twice. The first time, I jumped into a high surf, being used to this being safe and fun in other places. I barely made it back to the coast; the big and athletic-looking bloke I was swimming with and cried out to for help was likewise mostly busy saving himself, as we were both pummeled by the waves and being pulled out to sea.

The second time and just to prove a point to me that it was really unsafe I guess, I went out in more balmy waters. Again, I had trouble returning against the tide. In both cases, it was indeed the undercurrents pulling you out, which much of India's beaches are notorious for. Travelers should be aware of this. I guess the safest option is to remain where you can stand, and to generally enquire where the safe spots are. I am neither a very strong swimmer, nor a very inexperienced one, and I've done plenty of swimming in my life.

It may well have been an accident like this, and like many others, and he may not have done anything irresponsible. On that first occasion I was convinced I wouldn't make it; my thoughts were mostly with oh god how will my family react to the news of my death.

I wish you and your family comfort in your grief. To gain some closure, perhaps a visit there when you are ready for it is indeed an idea.

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artirina

And again thank you everybody for the warmth of your hearts and words! Thanks for advices as well. Why I am looking for witnesses? I would ask them how far from the shore was my brother found, was he struggling for his life or was he just floating on the surface, was he alive when they brought him to the shore or not and how did he look like. And may be then I could comfort our mom and convince her that it was an accident and there is no one to blame. And this mere fact will abate the pain. Because it's very hard to accept the stupid commonness of death - the accident.
My brother was not a good swimmer, I guess. He was not very strong either. Just common tourist - excited to be in exotic place. It was the last day of his vacation.
I like the idea about advert in local papers. Can anybody give me an url?

I wish everybody a nice holiday and a vary Happy New Year!

Nick-H

Thank you for your kind thoughts towards IMers, expressed in your time of grief.

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machadinha

<cross-posted with Nick>

Well, yes, to know the details of his final moments is a natural wish of course, and may offer some comfort.

Others will no doubt be in with more specific papers; if you search on this (massive) page http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/india.htm for "goa" you'll find three papers, of which I can currently open only one. (OHeraldo, quite well-known I believe. I don't know Goa.)

A Goan journalist who is also a member here is at http://fn.goa-india.org/ , you could try and get in touch with him for further contacts.

Again, I wish you strength and comfort, and courageous of you to wish us a happy new year even! So -- the same to you and those around you.

capt_mahajan

Artirina, all the best.

Wish all of you, specially your mother, find a measure of peace.

Good luck.

edwardseco

I think all of us echo the Capt's sentiments..

Daydream Believer

From me too, may peace be with you and your family.

Good luck with your quest.

x

Spirit of Havelock

I remember back in 1999, I was staying at a place called Furtados (I think) near Benaulim (Goa). I had stuff stolen from my room and I found that other guests were paying less than I was. I was pissed off, and I had found another place to stay 10 times better in the village, but the problem was (like an idiot)I had paid a couple of weeks in advance. The manager did not want to refund the money so I could leave, but (what was worse) he just treated it like a joke. I eventually lost my cool and shouted at the guy - next thing I know, he's yelling in the local language for help. Another guy turns armed with a clump of wood, and they took the keys to my moped so I couldn't scoot out of there. I was told: "You are not Goan, you can not shout at us. I can kill you and throw your body into the sea". Nice!

(It's unrelated - but about a year later a friend of mine got murdered in Goa. They found his body dumped in a well. Goa can be heaven and hell)

Anyway, it just makes you wonder how many drownings in Goa are real drownings. The Indian police are lazy, corrupt, badly paid and ill-trained. I think that ANY body they find in the ocean, unless there are obvious signs of physical wounds or physical trauma, they'll just put it down to "drowning" - and case closed.

Nevertheless everything that has been said about Goa's sea, is also correct. It's powerful. There could well be a 95% chance there was no foul play - that it was just a tragic accident. But it's not a mistake to ask questions and find a witness.

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fizzy2

I am sure that this is yet another case of accidental death by drowning and that foul play is NOT a cause to consider. The Candolim, Calangute and Baga beaches are notorious for their powerful undercurrents and lack of appropriately qualified (and situated) life guards and many drownings have occurred over the years.

May I offer my sincere condolences to you and your family and I hope that you find the answers to your questions so that you may also find peace.

patti123

Read this Goa newspaper about 2 more guys that got drowned http://www.goacom.com/joel/news/2008/jan/03jan08.htm Watery graves for two more tourists
It is nearly every day someone drowns.
I think your brother was just very very unlucky.

edwardseco

You don't need to explain because I know everyone understands and sympathizes not only with the grief but also the need for answers despite the odds. We wish you so much for the depth of sadness this entails..