Tributes to Territory tourist Cyriac Sebastian who drowned at Berry Springs
A Top End community has come together in prayer after a 68-year-old father drowned in a popular Top End watering hole this weekend. Read the latest.
Northern Territory
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A tourist has reportedly drowned at one of the Top End’s most popular swimming spots at the weekend.
It is understood the 68-year-old man died at the Berry Springs Nature Park on Saturday morning, with first responders and emergency crews unable to revive him.
NT Police have confirmed that they received reports of a non-suspicious death at Berry Springs at 9.10am, June 15.
“Emergency Service members declared the man deceased a short time after arrival,” a spokesman said.
“A report will be prepared for the Coroner.”
Berry Springs only reopened following the Wet Season closures last month, with visitors turned away on Saturday as emergency services responded to the fatal incident.
Loved ones have identified the man as Cyriac Sebastian, a 68-year-old Indian national who was in the Territory to visit his sons.
The Darwin Malayalee Association said Mr Sebastian was in Darwin visiting family when he drowned at the popular swimming hole.
The DMA said Mr Sebastian’s sons and their families were living in Alice Springs and Darwin, but the 68-year-old was originally from the Vadakekuttu house in Kadanad Parish, in the Indian state of Kerala.
“It is with great sadness that we share that he passed away in an accidental death in Berry Springs,” DMA said in a Facebook post.
“During this challenging time, we ask our community to keep his sons, Abin Cyriac from Alice Springs and Danish Cyriac from Darwin, along with their families, in your thoughts.”
The St. Alphonsa Syro Malabar Parish, where Cyriac Sebastian’s son was a member, led the community in a special prayer service to the 68-year-old father on Sunday.
The Northern Territory Water Safety Strategy 2030 found that Territorians were three times more likely to drown than other Australians, with 170 people losing their lives to the water in the 20 years to 2022.
The safety strategy said 52 per cent of drownings were in a river, creek, waterhole or dam, with members of multicultural communities a particular group of concern in their campaign to minimise fatal incidents.
Royal Life Saving Australia has also highlighted that those from multicultural backgrounds were disproportionately were at risk in the water, as one in four drownings each year were people who were born overseas.
“Adult migrants often have limited experience and understanding of water and water safety in the Australian context,” the Australian Water Safety Strategy said.
The latest fatal drowning comes almost three months after a 37-year-old woman’s body was pulled from the Darwin Waterfront Lagoon in April.
Originally published as Tributes to Territory tourist Cyriac Sebastian who drowned at Berry Springs
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