Kite surfer killed after hitting the rocks in rough seas
Wednesday November 25 2009
A KITE surfer died tragically yesterday afternoon when he was flung against rocks while surfing in rough conditions off the Donegal coast.
David North, from Belturbet, Co Cavan, who was in his mid- 20s and a mature student at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, was one of a group of students who took advantage of the unexpected day off to travel to Rossnowlagh near Ballyshannon on a surfing expedition.
He got into difficulty at around 2.30pm when he was lifted suddenly from the water and carried by a strong wind into jagged rocks.
It follows the death of a 46-year-old father of one, from Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, in a windsurfing tragedy in north Kerry on Sunday.
The man is believed to have got into difficulties after he went windsurfing at Banna Beach at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon. His body was recovered from the sea at Ballyheigue.
Fr Sean Gildea, a priest from the nearby Franciscan Friary, administered the last rights last night. He said the wind was so strong that he was blown off his feet against the rocks.
"It was a really grim scene out there. The weather was horrendous," he said.
Ballyshannon Garda Superintendent Jimmy Coen described what happened.
"The young man was out on the water and a gust of wind caught hold of his kite and he ended up on the rocks. The impact was severe, like coming off a motorcycle," he said.
One local man said there was "a huge swell and really blustery conditions"
Paul Hannigan, president of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, expressed the sympathy of the college to the North family last night.
"This is a tragic thing to happen," he said.
Mr North, an experienced plumber who had returned to college following the downturn in the economy, was being mourned in his native village of Milltown near Belturbet last night.
Shocked
One family friend described him as "a lovely quiet young fellow who would go out of his way to help anyone".
Local Belturbet councillor, Damien Brady said the community was shocked by the tragedy.
"Milltown is a small, very tightly knit community. I did not know him personally but it is very tragic for a young fellow of that age to be re-educating himself in the downturn and to die like this.
"My heart goes out to the family," he said.
Last night, the chairman of Ballyshannon Town Council Eugene Dolan questioned the wisdom of people being out at sea in such poor weather conditions.
"What was anybody doing on the water on a day that was so bad that even sea crossings were cancelled?" he said.
- Anita Guidera
Irish Independent
