Buncrana woman who lost five family members says her ‘heart is shattered’

Her partner Sean, sons Mark and Evan, her mother Ruth, and her sister Jodie, were all killed when a car they were travelling in slid into Lough Swilly from a pier in Buncrana on March of 2016.

Now Louise James has released a statement as the verdicts of misadventure were delivered on all five of her family member’s deaths. Her solicitor spoke on Ms James’ behalf saying there are “simply no words to express my pain, my disbelief and indeed my anger about what happened on that fateful day.” The statement went on to say:

“My heart is shattered. Every moment of every day is filled with thoughts of my beautiful boys, Mark and Evan, my mother Ruth, my sister Jodie Lee and my partner Sean. "The one ray of sunshine in my life is my beautiful daughter Rioghnach-Ann who survived this horrible tragedy. Once again I’d like to thank Davitt Walsh and all those others who helped to save her on that day. “I truly believe that the slipway should have been closed to the general public or else proper warning signs displayed as it was an accident waiting to happen. Hopefully, lessons will be learned and recommendations made will be implemented. “Finally regarding Sean. Notwithstanding the evidence that has emerged, he was a wonderful partner to me and an adoring father to his children. "He lived for them and it is clear from what this inquiry has learned that in fact he died as he lived as he could have saved himself but chose not to.”

The statement comes after two days of an inquest into the deaths of the five family members.