Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery joined more than 100 State Emergency Services workers and Wollongong City Council crews at Riley Park early on Friday morning.
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Ashed faced as he was briefed on how crews with underwater cameras would inspect the drains network, he described the search as “a time of sheer terror and sadness” for the family of 11-year-old Ryan Teasdale.
Cr Bradbery later visited the grieving family and said the city was behind them.
“The loss of a child is devastating for his parents, and I’m sure that many parents around the region would empathise with their grief,” he said. “The family are devastated and there are lots of supporters around them. It’s very clear that [Ryan] was a happy and vibrant child.”
Cr Bradbery also thanked the many council staff – including engineers and work crews – who helped in the search. Addressing concerns from some members of the public about there being no grate on the stormwater drain where Ryan disappeared, he noted that grates could, in some cases, increase the risks of blockages and flooding..
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
