Coroner’s beach safety concerns after tragedy
17-YEAR-OLD DIED AFTER JUMPING FROM DINGHY INTO COLD SEA OFF ROKER
A coroner is to write to council bosses about safety on a Sunderland beach after a teenager’s death.
Seventeen-year-old Liam Hall, from Southwick, died in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital after he and three friends got into trouble off Roker Beach in August last year.
Now, Newcastle coroner Karen Dilks is to write to Sunderland City Council bosses over arrangements at Roker Beach.
An inquest at Newcastle Civic Centre today heard Liam had gone to the beach with friends Jack Hanratty, Natalie Foster and Courtney Richardson.
Det Sgt David Henderson told the hearing the four had gone out in a small inflatable dinghy, but got into trouble.
As the dinghy started to take on water, the two boys had jumped into the sea in an effort to get the boat back to shore.
“Jack was the first to jump into the water. He was shortly followed by Liam. They believed they were going to try to get the dinghy back to the shore, so it would not take in as much water.”
The water had been very cold and Liam began to struggle. Jack had seen him start to go underwater.
Several people in the area had attempted to help, including one who had thrown a lifebelt to Jack Hanratty so he could be pulled to safety.
Liam was eventually rescued and flown to the RVI before being transferred to the Freeman.
Asked “Did your inquiries confirm whether there were any lifeguards on the beach that day?”, DS Henderson replied: “No.”
Asked “Are there any warning signs saying there is not a lifeguard available?”, he said: “Not that I know of.”
Liam’s mum Sarah told the hearing he had not been a strong swimmer: “He would be alright in a swimming baths, but not in a situation like that.”
She told the inquest she went to Roker regularly to walk her dog and asked if she had ever seen a lifeguard, replied: “Not on that part of the beach.”
Recording a conclusion of accidental death, the coroner said she would be writing to the city council about the situation regarding lifeguards and warning signs.
“I have heard from both Liam’s mum and Detective Sergeant Henderson that the area is an area that is well used.
“Mum tells me it has a play area, it has eating facilities and access to the water is not in any way restricted and that there are no signs, no lifeguards, and nothing warning the public about not entering the water at that point,” she said.
“It seems to me that is something that needs to be rectified if we are to prevent deaths in future.”
No-one from the RNLI or the city council gave evidence. Conclusion: Accident.