A WOMAN who was present at the scene of the Buncrana pier tragedy of March 2016 is making a claim against the estate of the father who died in the drowning.
Five members of the same family lost their lives in the incident when Sean McGrotty’s Audi SUV 4x4 vehicle slid on ”treacherous” algae and slipped into the sea at Lough Swilly.
The sole survivor was four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann who was rescued by passerby Davitt Walsh.
Walsh was joined at the scene by then-girlfriend Stephanie Knox, who is now making a claim for damages against the deceased.
Ms Knox, a cardiac physiologist, took the baby from Mr Walsh and brought her to their car to warm up while he returned to the water to try and save other members of the family.
Davitt Walsh and Stephanie Knox honoured with rescue appreciation awards - https://t.co/lBmZlItBFp - ... pic.twitter.com/v4WdVlJKIJ
— Donegal Daily (@DonegalDaily) November 9, 2016
Mr McGrotty’s 86-year-old father Noel told Derry News of the shock he felt when he received a legal letter from Ms Knox.
“It was a private delivery and I had to sign for it; it was a big envelope full of legal documents – hard for the ordinary man in the street to understand.
“Then I saw the name Knox and realised it was from the girl that took the baby when she was brought out of the water that day.”
Mr McGrotty also said that he did not know why he received the letter as he was not the executor of his son’s estate.
Knox’s sister Laura took to Facebook last night to address the issue, explaining that her sister had been informed by gardai that people who were present on the pier on the day of the tragedy were lodging claims, so she had gone to her solicitor for advice.
