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| Buncrana tragedy: Man who saved baby regrets he could not do more for drowning family | Buncrana tragedy: Man who saved baby regrets he could not do more for drowning family |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who rescued a four-month-old girl in a drowning tragedy off the Irish coast has said he feels "terrible" that he could not do more. | A man who rescued a four-month-old girl in a drowning tragedy off the Irish coast has said he feels "terrible" that he could not do more. |
| Five family members died on Sunday when their car went off Buncrana pier in County Donegal and into Lough Swilly. | Five family members died on Sunday when their car went off Buncrana pier in County Donegal and into Lough Swilly. |
| Davitt Walsh was on the pier and said he took off his clothes and swam to the family as fast as he could. | Davitt Walsh was on the pier and said he took off his clothes and swam to the family as fast as he could. |
| He said he "could see the distress in the family" as they tried to escape from the car. | He said he "could see the distress in the family" as they tried to escape from the car. |
| Those who died were Ruth Daniels, 57, her daughter Jodie Lee Daniels, 14, Sean McGrotty, 49, and his sons Mark, 12, and Evan, eight. | Those who died were Ruth Daniels, 57, her daughter Jodie Lee Daniels, 14, Sean McGrotty, 49, and his sons Mark, 12, and Evan, eight. |
| They were the mother, sister, husband and two sons of Louise McGrotty, from Londonderry. | They were the mother, sister, husband and two sons of Louise McGrotty, from Londonderry. |
| "The father had the window half ajar and started hitting it with his elbow to break it," he told Irish state broadcaster RTÉ. | "The father had the window half ajar and started hitting it with his elbow to break it," he told Irish state broadcaster RTÉ. |
| "When the window was broke, the father... handed me the baby and said: 'Take the baby.' | "When the window was broke, the father... handed me the baby and said: 'Take the baby.' |
| "The water started to come into the car and he just looked at me and said: 'Save my baby.' | "The water started to come into the car and he just looked at me and said: 'Save my baby.' |
| "I took the baby, I held it above my head and I swam back to shore. | "I took the baby, I held it above my head and I swam back to shore. |
| "The father could have saved himself because he was out of the car, but he went back in to save his family. | "The father could have saved himself because he was out of the car, but he went back in to save his family. |
| "I think deep down the father knew I was only going to be able to save one person." | "I think deep down the father knew I was only going to be able to save one person." |
| Mr Walsh, a footballer who has played in the top divisions in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, said the car sank "instantly". | |
| "My girlfriend was waiting at the shore, she took the baby off me," he said. | "My girlfriend was waiting at the shore, she took the baby off me," he said. |
| "I was exhausted on the pier, I just lay there on the algae. | "I was exhausted on the pier, I just lay there on the algae. |
| "I just feel really, really terrible that I couldn't do any more for the family." | "I just feel really, really terrible that I couldn't do any more for the family." |
| The baby, Rionaghac-Ann, was taken to hospital and police said she was recovering well. | The baby, Rionaghac-Ann, was taken to hospital and police said she was recovering well. |
| Mr Walsh, from Kerrykeel in County Donegal, has been praised by the family of the victims for saving her. | Mr Walsh, from Kerrykeel in County Donegal, has been praised by the family of the victims for saving her. |
| Jim McGrotty, a brother of Sean, said Mr Walsh was a "brave man". | Jim McGrotty, a brother of Sean, said Mr Walsh was a "brave man". |
| "Words cannot express the enormity of the tragedy which has befallen our family," he added. | "Words cannot express the enormity of the tragedy which has befallen our family," he added. |
| "If there is anything good which has come out of it is the fact that baby Rionaghac-Ann has been saved." | "If there is anything good which has come out of it is the fact that baby Rionaghac-Ann has been saved." |