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| Camber Sands official accused of blaming drownings on men's ethnicity | Camber Sands official accused of blaming drownings on men's ethnicity |
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| A beach safety official for Camber Sands has been accused of blaming the deaths of seven people who drowned there last summer on their race. | A beach safety official for Camber Sands has been accused of blaming the deaths of seven people who drowned there last summer on their race. |
| At an inquest into the deaths of five young men of Tamil origin who drowned at the popular beach near Rye in East Sussex last August, Robert Cass, a coastal officer employed by Rother district council to supervise the beach, was asked about his emphasis on the race of those who drowned. | At an inquest into the deaths of five young men of Tamil origin who drowned at the popular beach near Rye in East Sussex last August, Robert Cass, a coastal officer employed by Rother district council to supervise the beach, was asked about his emphasis on the race of those who drowned. |
| Last July just weeks before the drownings of the five young Tamil men, Mohit Dupar, 36, from Hayes, west London, tried to reach Brazilian Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, as he got into difficulty but both men died | Last July just weeks before the drownings of the five young Tamil men, Mohit Dupar, 36, from Hayes, west London, tried to reach Brazilian Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, as he got into difficulty but both men died |
| An incident log written by Cass after last July’s drownings stated: “We are again faced with incidents of non-swimming persons of a certain culture that enter the water in great numbers with deadly results. The combination of a beach as shallow as Camber attracting predominantly non-British visitors has been an increasing issue over the last 10 years and the risks that these people create upon their lack of ability in being ‘tempted in’ to such a shallow bay are becoming unsustainable and unfair for us to deal with or carry the burden of responding to.” | An incident log written by Cass after last July’s drownings stated: “We are again faced with incidents of non-swimming persons of a certain culture that enter the water in great numbers with deadly results. The combination of a beach as shallow as Camber attracting predominantly non-British visitors has been an increasing issue over the last 10 years and the risks that these people create upon their lack of ability in being ‘tempted in’ to such a shallow bay are becoming unsustainable and unfair for us to deal with or carry the burden of responding to.” |
| Cass described the changing demographics of beach visitors. He said that when he first began working for Rother district council in 2004 the demographic was mostly white British, with many visitors staying in the nearby Pontins holiday park. He said that more European migrants had come into our society and the beach reflected that. | Cass described the changing demographics of beach visitors. He said that when he first began working for Rother district council in 2004 the demographic was mostly white British, with many visitors staying in the nearby Pontins holiday park. He said that more European migrants had come into our society and the beach reflected that. |
| He said: “There are also London communities, specifically Asian communities, coming down to enjoy a nice day on our beach. That progressively has been for those of us who work on the beach, a significant change. Unfortunately the observations of all of us are that specifically, for whatever reason, Asian communities are far more vulnerable in terms of water safety.” | He said: “There are also London communities, specifically Asian communities, coming down to enjoy a nice day on our beach. That progressively has been for those of us who work on the beach, a significant change. Unfortunately the observations of all of us are that specifically, for whatever reason, Asian communities are far more vulnerable in terms of water safety.” |
| The five men who died last August were Kenugen Saththiyanathan, 18, known as Ken; his brother Kobikanthan Saththiyanathan, 22, known as Kobi, both from Erith, south-east London; and their friends Nitharsan Ravi, 22, of Plumstead, south-east London; Inthushan Sriskantharasa, 23, of Grays, Essex; and Gurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, of Welling, south-east London. | The five men who died last August were Kenugen Saththiyanathan, 18, known as Ken; his brother Kobikanthan Saththiyanathan, 22, known as Kobi, both from Erith, south-east London; and their friends Nitharsan Ravi, 22, of Plumstead, south-east London; Inthushan Sriskantharasa, 23, of Grays, Essex; and Gurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, of Welling, south-east London. |
| Patrick Roche, the barrister representing the relatives of the five men, asked Cass: “Are you going to stop attributing the deaths to the race of those who died?” | Patrick Roche, the barrister representing the relatives of the five men, asked Cass: “Are you going to stop attributing the deaths to the race of those who died?” |
| Cass said: “My job is to tell it as it is. I put that message to everyone in good faith.” | Cass said: “My job is to tell it as it is. I put that message to everyone in good faith.” |
| Cass said a similar tragedy to the drownings could happen again despite the introduction of lifeguards to the beach for the first time this summer. Cass was asked what the council had learned from the tragedies. He said: “I don’t think Rother can learn anything per se about the incidents of last summer. Unfortunately the sad thing is I fear it can happen again.” | Cass said a similar tragedy to the drownings could happen again despite the introduction of lifeguards to the beach for the first time this summer. Cass was asked what the council had learned from the tragedies. He said: “I don’t think Rother can learn anything per se about the incidents of last summer. Unfortunately the sad thing is I fear it can happen again.” |
| He said he did not feel that the introduction of lifeguards would necessarily increase protection. “My personal view is that even with lifeguards the same thing would have happened because of the density of numbers in the water,” he said. | He said he did not feel that the introduction of lifeguards would necessarily increase protection. “My personal view is that even with lifeguards the same thing would have happened because of the density of numbers in the water,” he said. |
| When coroner Alan Craze asked why Rother district council did not accept a recommendation by Royal National Lifeboat Institute in 2013 and an earlier recommendation in 2009 to introduce lifeguards to the beach, Cass said: “That’s a decision that was taken over my head. In an ideal world it would have been a luxury I would like to have had.” | When coroner Alan Craze asked why Rother district council did not accept a recommendation by Royal National Lifeboat Institute in 2013 and an earlier recommendation in 2009 to introduce lifeguards to the beach, Cass said: “That’s a decision that was taken over my head. In an ideal world it would have been a luxury I would like to have had.” |
| “I slightly wonder if the eye was taken off the ball,” said Craze. | “I slightly wonder if the eye was taken off the ball,” said Craze. |
| Before the seven deaths last summer – two in July and five in August - there had been two previous drownings at Camber Sands – Tanzeela Ajmal, 31, in July 2012 and Thatchayiny Segar, 30, in July 2015. | Before the seven deaths last summer – two in July and five in August - there had been two previous drownings at Camber Sands – Tanzeela Ajmal, 31, in July 2012 and Thatchayiny Segar, 30, in July 2015. |
| Asked if there was a review of the need for lifeguards after Segar died three years after Ajmal’s drowning, Cass said: “Not that I’m aware.” | Asked if there was a review of the need for lifeguards after Segar died three years after Ajmal’s drowning, Cass said: “Not that I’m aware.” |
| When asked by Roche about what lessons could be learned after nine deaths over a four-year period at Camber Sands, Cass said: “There’s a massive need for pre-arrival education.” | When asked by Roche about what lessons could be learned after nine deaths over a four-year period at Camber Sands, Cass said: “There’s a massive need for pre-arrival education.” |
| The coroner is planning to make recommendations to government at the conclusion of the inquest to improve beach safety and prevent future similar deaths. | The coroner is planning to make recommendations to government at the conclusion of the inquest to improve beach safety and prevent future similar deaths. |
| “The only comfort the families can take away with them is that steps have been taken to stop someone else in the future going through the appalling things they have gone through,” he said. | “The only comfort the families can take away with them is that steps have been taken to stop someone else in the future going through the appalling things they have gone through,” he said. |
| Rother district council agreed in February to allocate £51,000 in its 2017-18 budget to bring in seasonal lifeguard cover following demands for safety to be increased at Camber, which can attract up to 25,000 visitors during peak holiday season. | Rother district council agreed in February to allocate £51,000 in its 2017-18 budget to bring in seasonal lifeguard cover following demands for safety to be increased at Camber, which can attract up to 25,000 visitors during peak holiday season. |
| Pathologist Brett Lockyer concluded that all five men had died as a result of drowning. | Pathologist Brett Lockyer concluded that all five men had died as a result of drowning. |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |