I nearly managed to save a second child: Hero who risked his life to save baby from Irish pier...

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• published: 22 Mar 2016
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I nearly managed to save a second child: Hero who risked his life to save baby from Irish pier drowning tragedy reveals the heartbreaking moment her older brother was pulled from his grasp. A man who dived into freezing water to save the life of a baby girl whose family died when their car slipped off a pier has revealed the heart-wrenching moment another child was pulled from his grasp. Bystander Davitt Walsh, 29, stripped to his underwear and risked his own life to reach the Audi Q7 after it lost traction in a thick layer of algae at the Buncrana, a beauty spot in County Donegal, north-west Ireland, and plunged into the sea. Driver Sean McGrotty, 46, drowned alongside his sons Mark, 12, and Evan, eight, his mother-in-law Ruth Daniels, 57, and her 15-year-old daughter Jodie Lee Daniels. But incredibly, Mr McGrotty's four-month-old daughter Rionaghac-Ann survived after he used his final breaths to get her through the window of the sinking vehicle and into the arms of Mr Walsh. Hero Mr Walsh also came close to rescuing one of the young boys but said the child was 'pulled away'. Rionaghac-Ann has now been reunited with mother Louise James, who is thought to have been at a hen party in Liverpool when she learnt five of her family members had died in the horrific accident. Miss James, 35, today returned to her family home in Derry, Northern Ireland, and was said to be in a ‘terrible state’. Parish priest Father Paddy O’Kane, who had visited her house, said: ‘They are inconsolable. Louise said to me: “I have lost everyone, except little Rionaghac-Ann”. 'She said: “Rionaghac-Ann is my reason to go on”. Words fail me to describe the depth of pain and the vastness of this tragedy.' Horrified witnesses told of a ‘harrowing and heart-rending’ scene and the piercing sound of children’s screams as the vehicle appeared to briefly float before nose-diving. Three of those in the car apparently tried to swim to safety after breaking a window and climbing out, but did not make it because of the freezing water and their heavy clothes. Relatives today expressed their gratitude to Mr Walsh as they described how they were 'numbed' by what had happened. Mr Walsh, from the village of Kerrykeel, County Donegal, had been driving away with his girlfriend, Stephanie Knox, after a walk at the pier when he saw the car sinking. The pair ran down to the slip-way where a by-stander asked them to swim out to try and help. He was praised by police today for his ‘exceptional bravery’ after diving into the icy water to mount the rescue. Mr Walsh said: 'It all happened so quickly. I asked if there were currents and the man said there was. I just stripped down to my underwear and swam out. When I got to the car my mind was racing. The man, who was in the driver's seat, smashed the window. 'I could hear them all screaming inside the car. It's so hard to describe. I can't describe how I was feeling. I will never forget those screams. The man said "save the baby". He stayed in the car with his family. He could have saved himself but he decided to stay with his family. 'I had a grip of another boy, I think he was about 12 years old but he was pulled away from me somehow. When I think about it now, I simply could not have held him up as well and managed to swim away.' Malin head Coast Guard confirmed last night that the units searching the water included Greencastle Coast Guard, The Rescue 118 helicopter, RNLI lifeboats and local fishing boats. On land were local gardai, local fire services and local divers. The Rescue 118 helicopter, who had been involved in exercises locally earlier in the day, also attended. The ramp is used for the Buncrana to Rathmullen ferry service but the ferry is not in operation at this time of the year. However, the area near the slip-way is a popular point at which to turn a vehicle round.