A tragic incident occurred at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot, on 19 June 2023, resulting in the death of 15-year-old David Ejimofor. The coroner, Ed Ramsay, revealed that having a lifeguard on duty at the beach could have potentially prevented the teenager from jumping into the sea and drowning while celebrating the end of their exams with friends. The absence of enough deterrents, such as barriers and signage, on the pier was also highlighted as a contributing factor to the fatal outcome.
During the inquest, Mr. Ramsay emphasized that past evidence suggested the effectiveness of having a lifeguard stationed at the breakwater. It was disclosed that lifeguard services had concluded at 18:00 BST on the day of the incident, while David jumped into the sea around 19:00 and tragically drowned within minutes. In addition to the lack of lifeguard presence, David’s swimming ability, cold-water shock, and panic were identified as additional elements that played a role in the unfortunate event.
David’s mother, Maria Ejimofor, shared that although he had received swimming lessons as a child, he lacked confidence in the water. The family expressed concerns regarding the insufficient signage on the pier, with their representative, Rebecca Mansell, pointing out that David had not come across the warning sign due to entering the breakwater from a different point. Following David’s death, improved signage has been implemented in the area. The family firmly believes that the presence of a lifeguard could have led to a significantly different outcome for David, underscoring the importance of water safety measures
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