Funerals today for Joseph Sebastian and Reuven Simon
They said the lough should be made “safe” to avoid any repeat of the tragedy.
Reuven Simon and Joseph Sebastian died at Enagh Lough on August 29.
The St Columb’s College pupils were enjoying the last of their summer holidays on a bike ride with other friends.
It’s understood one of them got into difficulty and his friend tried to assist, but also found himself in trouble. Both sadly drowned.
A third boy who desperately tried to help his friends also had to be coaxed from the lough. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
The teenagers are part of the Kerala community from the south of India and their families have settled in Derry for over 20 years.
They had just achieved top grades in their GCSE results and were looking forward to getting back to school.
Speaking at a council meeting on Thursday, Mayor Sandra Duffy paid tribute to the teenagers and offered condolences to their families and friends once more.
Her Sinn Fein colleague Christopher Jackson said the Waterside community is still numb and that is most acutely felt by people who know the families.
Alliance councillor Rachael Ferguson said as someone from the Strathfoyle community, where the incident took place, she knows how devastated the local community are.
“Hopefully in the memory of these two beautiful boys we’ll be able to find some way in making sure that Enagh Lough is safe and secure going forward,” she said.
People Before Profit councillor Maeve O’Neill expressed condolences to the friends and family of the two boys saying it sent a shockwave through the city, particularly at the hospital, where a number of the parents work.
SDLP representative Brian Tierney said as events unfolded everyone was “hoping and praying” that it would not end in tragedy.
People across the district and further afield have felt “pain and sorrow” for the families, he said: “We are also very glad to see that steps are now being hopefully put in place, with meetings being organised and one thing and other to try and ensure this doesn’t happen again.
Funeral of Reuven Simon and Joseph Sebastian in Derry on Friday September 2 2022. Pix by Joe Boland/NorthWest Newspix
Councillor Maurice Devenney offered condolences on behalf of the DUP.
“The two young boys were very well known in my local cricket club, Newbuildings Cricket Club, who played with them,” he said. “It’s a deep, sad loss for the area.”
Meanwhile, independent councillor Gary Donnelly echoed those sentiments saying it is a “very difficult subject” to address and a “terrible burden for these families to bear”.
He added: “I just hope they have the help, and any help and support that’s out there in order to help them cope at this very difficult time.”
Tags: