Throw the Lifebuoy, Don't Film the Tragedy": Cork Safety Alerts Backs Luke's Law

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Lukes Law

The death of Luke Hyde in Cork's River Lee has sparked a campaign for groundbreaking legislation that could see people prosecuted for filming accidents rather than helping victims.

Luke Hyde, aged 33, from Wolfe Tone Street, drowned on 29 April 2025 while swimming across the north channel of the River Lee from Pope's Quay to Lavitt's Quay around 6:45pm. As he struggled in the water, dozens of onlookers lined the quaysides recording his final moments on their phones rather than throwing lifebuoys positioned nearby.

Elizabeth Hyde, Luke's mother, speaking on Cork's Red FM: 

"Luke … was my baby son. I was disgusted when I heard you talking this morning about those people down there. It was like a circus, watching my son drown, instead of trying to help him. What have people in this world come to? Morons, I don't think there's even a word to describe them."

The incident was filmed by onlookers on their phones, with some live-streaming the tragedy. Luke's childhood friend Kelly Ann Peyton and his mother have since launched a campaign for "Luke's Law" to make it an offence to film people in distress or "in their final moments."

Kelly Ann Peyton, Luke's friend, speaking on The Neil Prendeville Show: 

"As far as I know, he [Mr Hyde] reached out for help in the water a few times, his hand went up as if to say, 'Help'. There was loads of people around the quay wall, and they were all pointing [phones] at him... not one person took a life buoy - and there are four either side - and threw one in."

Victor Shine, Cork City Fire Brigade second officer: "There were hundreds of people down there watching – they were a couple of people deep up along Pope's Quay, across the Shandon Footbridge and down Lavitt's Quay. There are three lifebuoys on either quay, and only one person threw one in to help the first guy. It's awful but hopefully it will open people's eyes as to the consequences of such behaviour. We are trying to wake people up – help if you can help, and don't just be highlighting somebody's tragedy and adding to their pain and trauma by filming and posting it."

Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn raised the issue in the Dáil shortly after the tragedy, calling for legislation – to be named Luke's Law – similar to Coco's Law, which criminalises the sharing of intimate images without consent. Another Cork TD, Michael Lowry, warned that families across the country have been subjected to the "pitiful actions" of people filming tragedies and sharing them online.

Cavan County Council has passed a motion supporting the Hyde family's campaign, highlighting that Germany already makes it a criminal offence to photograph or film victims of fatal accidents, even if the images are not published. The council urged the Minister for Justice to introduce similar penalties in Ireland and suggested fines of up to €5,000 for anyone caught recording at accident scenes.

However, the Government's response has been cautious. When questioned in May 2025, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan acknowledged that filming fatal accidents causes significant distress but said the Government had no immediate plans to criminalise the recording or sharing of such footage. The minister argued that criminalisation is not a "quick fix," although he recognised the harm caused by such behaviour.

Elizabeth Hyde's response to the minister, speaking to The Echo: 

"I am totally and utterly disgusted at the minister — his words were cold and empty. My heart and soul have been torn from my body. This response [from the minister] means nothing; it's a disgrace. My son hasn't died in vain. We're going to push for this."

Kelly Ann Peyton, speaking to The Echo: 

"I'm going to give it my all to get Luke's Law passed. I've done research into it, and Germany has a law like this in place. I would like people who are found recording a scene of a serious or fatal accident to be given a penalty, whether that's prison time or a fine. What's killing us the most about what happened is that people never helped Luke; that they decided to film instead."

Cork Safety Alerts backs the principle behind Luke's Law - that in emergencies, our first instinct should be to help, not film. While the legal framework requires careful consideration, the moral imperative is clear: throw the lifebuoy, don't film the tragedy.

Our recent policy change to stop real-time reporting of river rescues stems from identical concerns. We've witnessed how the presence of cameras can transform emergencies into spectacles, with bystanders becoming passive observers rather than potential lifesavers.

This tragedy underscores a fundamental question for our community: what kind of society do we want to be? One where people reach for their phones, or one where they reach for the lifebuoy? Luke's Law could help ensure future emergencies see more helpers and fewer spectators, protecting both victims' dignity and encouraging the bystander intervention that saves lives.

The campaign continues as Luke's family and friends lobby for formal legislation to prevent other families enduring similar trauma.

Sources:

• The Irish Times, 6 May 2025: "Drowning victim's family seeks law to prosecute people posting video of tragedies online"
• The Irish Times, 2 May 2025: "'It was like a circus, watching my son drown, instead of trying to help him': Luke Hyde drowned in river Lee, Cork"
• Echo Live, 24 May 2025: "Mother whose son drowned in Cork river calls for action on filming of tragedies"