Mother tells of fear for sons as Buncrana tragedy unfolded

A woman has told how she feared for her own sons’ lives as tragedy unfolded on Lough Swilly last Saturday.

Matt Sibanda (18) and Emmanuel Familola (16) lost their lives after getting into difficulty while swimming in the water just off Buncrana.

The teenage friends were residents at IPAS centres in Buncrana and will be laid to rest in Donegal.

After the alarm was raised at around 4pm, Faloke Bruce rushed to the water’s edge with Matt Sibanda’s mother, Bonnie. 

“I have three sons and I knew they were at the beach,” Ms Bruce said. 

“Someone called to the hostel when they saw the ambulances and the Gardai at the beach. 

“The man said that ‘one of the black guys is drowning’ and I just had to run. I didn’t know the situation. I went with Matt’s mom and we were just praying. When we got to the beach, that was when we knew that it was Matt that was involved.”

Emmanuel Familola was taken from the water and rushed to Letterkenny University Hospital with the aid of a Garda escort, but he died a short time later. Only last week, the Scoil Mhuire student completed work experience in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin. 

The body of Matt Sibanda, was taken from the water at around 9pm after an extensive multi-agency search. His remains were brought ashore at Buncrana Pier where Fr Francis Bradley, the Parish Priest in Buncrana, administered the Last Rites. 

Ms Bruce recalled: “They were looking for him. It was painful and it was sad for us.

“It was a painful experience that no-one should go through.”

A major operation, co-ordinated by the Malin Head Coastguard, involved the Lough Swilly Lifeboat, various Coast Guard unit, the Rescue 118 helicopter and An Garda Siochana. A mayday call was also circulated and various vessels, including some yachts involved in a competition, assisted. 

Hundreds of people turned out for a vigil, led by the Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown at St Mary’s Oratory on Sunday afternoon. Over €35,000 has been raised in a GoFundMe organised by Insight Inishowen to help the heartbroken families with the funeral costs.

Matt and his family arrived in Donegal from Zimbabwe while Emmanuel’s family came from Nigeria. Efforts are being made to arrange temporary visas to allow family members in Africa come to Donegal.

Ms Bruce has told how friends in the centre have rallied around Matt’s mother. 

She said: “Everyone is there for her. It has been very hard for her. She is only here with Matt and his little sister. 

“Her family are back in Africa, but we are there for her as a family. We have been talking to her. We can only console her. As a mother, we know what she is going through. We support her in the way that we can. She is so sad. 

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“Whatever she needs from us, we will be there.

“We all treat each other like a family so it has been sad for everyone, including the two centres that were affected. Those two children were inspiring children. They were the best of friends. It has been sad for Buncrana as a community.”