Oxford river death prompts water safety warnings and advice

Baltazar L’Quy got into difficulty in the River Thames, close to Donnington Bridge, on Wednesday evening, May 27, before he was pronounced dead.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service released a series of videos, posted in 2022, about the dangers of water and what actions to take if you or someone else fall in or gets into difficulty.

READ MORE: Oxford boy 11th person to die in water during heatwave

Why is cold water shock so dangerous?

Even when there is hot weather, the water will remain cold, which can cause you to gasp for breath, causing you to inhale water.

Water entering your ears can cause vertigo symptoms, meaning you may not be able to work where is up and down.

Cold water can reduce your strength to swim and cause hypothermia, and a sudden increase in blood pressure, which can cause cardiac arrest.

Entrapments, such as weeds, and unseen objects like shopping trolley carts, below the surface of the water could impale you.

Strainers, like railings, tree roots and branches, are particularly dangerous as they let water past but can pin you against them.

How to keep yourself safe

Lean back into the water and spread your arms and legs.

Tread the water if you need to, as air trapped in clothing can help you float.

Relax and try to slow your breathing down.

Call or whistle for help or start to swim if you feel able to do so.

How to help someone else

• Call 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service and try to give an accurate location.
• Talk to the person, reassure them, ask them if they can swim to the bankside.
• Lie of kneel down on the bankside to reach towards them with something like a branch or a pole – look at the flow of the river first.
• Look for a life ring, thrown line or something that will float if the person is out of reach. Aim it so it lands over their shoulder or within their reach.

How to look at the flow of the river

• Look for eddies. This is an area where the water is calmer, usually behind an obstruction.
• The centre of the river is usually fastest, so try to rescue to the closest bank.