Aberavon pier leap: Lifeguard will have deterred youngster, inquest says

Having a lifeguard on responsibility will have stopped a youngster loss of life at a south Wales seashore, a coroner has discovered.

David Ejimofor, 15, died at Aberavon seashore, Neath Port Talbot on 19 June 2023, after leaping into the ocean with buddies whilst celebrating the tip in their assessments.

Assistant coroner, Ed Ramsay, mentioned if a lifeguard used to be running “it is possible that David would not have jumped into water and would not have drowned”.

He additionally discovered there weren’t sufficient deterrents, corresponding to boundaries and signage, at the pier to forestall the loss of life.

Mr Ramsay mentioned there used to be proof {that a} “lifeguard on breakwater had worked in the past”.

On Tuesday, the courtroom heard the lifeguard products and services completed at 18:00 BST that day.

The inquest discovered David jumped into the ocean at about 19:00 and drowned inside mins.

Mr Ramsay mentioned David’s swimming skill “would have been a factor” too in addition to the conceivable component of cold-water surprise and panic.

David’s mom, Maria Ejimofor, had in the past mentioned he had swimming courses as a kid however used to be no longer assured within the water.

An off-duty police officer who used to be paddleboarding arrived inside two mins of his disappearance underneath the water and helped get well the frame from the seabed.

The coroner mentioned David’s dimension “made rescue efforts difficult” as he used to be a large and tall 15-year-old.

The circle of relatives maintained that signage at the pier used to be a subject – even supposing there used to be one signal caution of the hazards on the time.

Rebecca Mansell, representing the circle of relatives, mentioned David didn’t see this as a result of he entered the breakwater additional down the seashore from the signal.

The inquest heard higher signage has been submit since David’s loss of life.

Ms Mansell mentioned the presence of a lifeguard at the pier would have resulted in a “very different outcome for David”.

A prevention of long term deaths file may also be revealed by means of the assistant coroner.