The Tragic Death of Naya Rivera: Remembering the Importance of Boating Safety
Chances are, if you’ve been online or near a television this week, you’ve heard about the tragic death of Naya Rivera. The Glee actress was simply out for a boat ride with her son when tragedy struck. Despite initial speculation of foul play, her death was proven to be an accidental drowning. Sadly, incidents such as this one are shockingly common. As we mourn the death of Naya Rivera, we want to take this moment to remind our readers how very important it is to comply with boating safety guidelines.
Today, let’s take a closer look at this unfortunate story and then explore ways in which boating safety rules can prevent further accidents.
Examining the Tragic Death of Naya Rivera
Last Wednesday, Naya Rivera rented a pontoon boat with her four-year-old son, Josey. After several hours out on the water, the pair was reported missing. Sadly, the boy was found on the boat alone. A massive search effort ensued for five long days until the young mother’s body was found.
Naya’s son Josey explained what happened to the police. Apparently, they had gone for a swim. It is believed that they were caught in a strong current while in the water. At that point, Naya boosted her son into the safety of their boat. Unfortunately, after he looked back, Naya had disappeared below the surface of the water. That was the last time the boy saw his mother. Officials believe that she had enough energy to save him, but not herself.
According to the police, Josey was wearing a life jacket, which likely contributed to saving his life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aiMCHL9oKQ
Preventing This From Happening Again
When a celebrity dies, it often helps to draw public attention to a related issue. At times like this, it’s important to take some important lessons from this terribly sad news so that we can prevent it from happening again. For the rest of this post, let’s talk about boating safety steps that we should all take to heart.Lay Down the Law
Before setting out on the water, you should set some boating safety rules for all of your passengers, both children and adults. These rules should be general, but also designed to eliminate unnecessary risk.Here are some example rules:
- No running onboard the vessel
- When moving, keep your hands and feet in the boat at all times.
- Only swim in areas that are explicitly designated for swimming.
- Don’t dive into the water. You never know how deep (or shallow!) it may be.