Tragic drownings highlight need for water safety awareness in migrant communities

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The local Afghan community in Melbourne’s south-east is in mourning after the drowning deaths of a mother and her child in Dandenong creek.  Fariba and Farzad Hussainzada have been remembered by their loved ones, as their deaths prompt calls for better water safety awareness in migrant communities.

Transcript

00:00The scene of yesterday's tragedy was quiet today, as local residents tried to come to

00:07grips with the deaths of a mother and her child.

00:10Devastating.

00:11Yeah, I just want to sit and cry and cry.

00:1533-year-old Fariba Hussainzada died trying to save her six-year-old son Farzad Hussainzada

00:21after he fell into the Dandenong Creek yesterday.

00:24The pair were swept away in the fast-moving waters and were unable to be revived.

00:28That was quite traumatising, thinking that two people have passed away through no fault

00:37of their own.

00:38Her devastated family today telling the ABC Ms Hussainzada was a caring and loving mother

00:45who had arrived in Australia from Afghanistan ten years ago and now leaves behind two younger

00:50children.

00:51She sacrificed herself for her son, they said.

00:54In the community, their deaths have been deeply felt.

00:57Last night, Dandenong Council held a minute's silence while Doveton College, where the

01:0260-year-old went to school, said it was deeply saddened.

01:06There was also shock among members of the tight-knit Hazara community, which the family is a part

01:11of.

01:12In 2008, a 12-year-old boy from Tanzania drowned while swimming in Dandenong Creek.

01:27And in 2014, a three-year-old toddler, whose family had recently arrived also from Afghanistan,

01:42died after being swept away in the same area.

01:45This water safety in drowning is, I think, prevalent in our community and no one talks

01:50about it.

01:51In Kyella, in central Victoria, the family of Gershabad Singh were mourning their eight-year-old,

01:56who drowned in the pool of a display home on Sunday evening.

01:59It is an example now of how quick the kids can go in.

02:04My son was an autistic child.

02:07He just jumped and drawn into the water.

02:10Gershabad Singh's funeral will be held on Friday.

02:13Gershabad Singh's funeral will be held on Friday.

02:29There have been a lot of different things.

02:34I think a lot of other things have been done right now.

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