Lifeguard may have deterred boy from fatal pier jump

Having a lifeguard on duty could have stopped a teenager dying at a south Wales beach, a coroner has found.

David Ejimofor, 15, died at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot on 19 June 2023, after jumping into the sea with friends while celebrating the end of their exams.

Assistant coroner, Ed Ramsay, said if a lifeguard was working "it is possible that David would not have jumped into water and would not have drowned".

He also found there were not enough deterrents, such as barriers and signage, on the pier to prevent the death.

Mr Ramsay said there was evidence that a "lifeguard on breakwater had worked in the past".

On Tuesday, the court heard the lifeguard services finished at 18:00 BST that day.

The inquest found David jumped into the sea at about 19:00 and drowned within minutes.

Mr Ramsay said David's swimming ability "would have been a factor" too as well as the possible element of cold-water shock and panic.

David's mother, Maria Ejimofor, had previously said he had swimming lessons as a child but was not confident in the water.

An off-duty police officer who was paddleboarding arrived within two minutes of his disappearance under the water and helped recover the body from the seabed.

The coroner said David's size "made rescue efforts difficult" as he was a big and tall 15-year-old.

The family maintained that signage on the pier was an issue - even though there was one sign warning of the dangers at the time.

Rebecca Mansell, representing the family, said David did not see this because he entered the breakwater further down the beach from the sign.

The inquest heard better signage has been put up since David's death.

Ms Mansell said the presence of a lifeguard on the pier would have led to a "very different outcome for David".

A prevention of future deaths report will also be published by the assistant coroner.