A meeting has been held to discuss the safety of a Northern Ireland lough following the deaths of two teenagers at a site over the summer.
The meeting was convened in response to the tragic passing of Reuven Simon and Joseph Sebastian who died at Enagh Lough after getting into difficulty whilst swimming with friends in late August.
Members from Derry City and Strabane District Council, Enagh Country Park, Foyle Search and Rescue Service, PSNI, Loughs Agency. the Policing and Community Safety Partnership and other local elected representatives attended the meeting held on Thursday, October 7.
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The purpose of the meeting was to look at what possible additional safety measures could be made to the amenity.
It's understood while Derry City and Strabane District Council has no statutory responsibility for waterways and water safety or any ownership of lands at Enagh Lough, it has taken a proactive approach to carry out exploratory works to help identify roles and responsibilities at the lough.
The ownership of the Co Derry lough is fragmented, with several different landowners owning various parts around the edge of the area.
Those in attendance agreed that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), which has dealt with similar incidents previously, should explore an initial scoping exercise with a view to assessing and providing a report with recommendations on water safety at the amenity in the future.
Meanwhile, those in attendance also agreed that short-term opportunities, such as the erection of signage, further education and raising awareness of water safety existed.
Speaking at the meeting, Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Cllr Sandra Duffy said: “Our thoughts and deep sympathies were with the families at this meeting this afternoon.
"It is important that all partners examine and review what happened and I am confident that input from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents will provide the necessary assistance in reviewing the site and moving forward.
“In the absence of a lead agency being responsible for Lough Enagh, it is imperative that we address this issue in a collective manner and do all we can by working collaboratively towards prioritising water safety and look at responsibility for the lough through partnership.
“I look forward to getting feedback from RoSPA and getting their advice on how we can take proactive steps around safety measures and improvement actions at the Lough. We all have a responsibility to do all we can to prevent another tragedy in this lough.”
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