The inquest into the tragic death of a teenager at Aberavon beach revealed that lifeguard operations had been reduced in the years leading up to the incident. David Ejimofor, 15, lost his life on June 19, 2023, while celebrating the end of his GCSE exams with friends at the beach in Neath Port Talbot.
Testimony at the Swansea court highlighted that lifeguards had previously worked until 20:30 before the RNLI took over in 2010. However, following an analysis of lifeguard data, their hours were scaled back to finish at 18:00. This decision was met with scrutiny as questions were raised about whether the reduced coverage contributed to the tragic event.
Assistant coroner Ed Ramsey presented evidence from the former manager of lifeguard services, Harry Worth, who explained that lifeguards would typically patrol the breakwater or pier until 20:30 during busy summer months. The decision to change to a national model of working from 10:00 to 18:00 was based on data analysis of lifeguard and coastguard activities, which did not show an increase in incidents in the area.
The RNLI’s regional lifeguard manager, Pete Rooney, clarified that Aberavon beach is divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary areas. The section where David drowned is classified as a tertiary area, which is not patrolled regularly. Despite the circumstances surrounding David’s death, the RNLI’s provisions at the beach remain unchanged, with locked gates and warning signs in place to deter access to potentially hazardous areas
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