Father-of-two died after being rescued from the sea during coasteering activity after he struggled to keep up with the rest of the group, inquest hears
- Iain Farrel from Dorney, near Windsor, died in May 2019 during activity in Dorset
A father-of-two died after being rescued from the sea during a coasteering activity day after he struggled to keep up with the rest of the group, an inquest has heard.
Iain Farrell, from Dorney, near Windsor, died while taking part in the activity, which involves climbing and swimming around a rocky part of Jurassic coast, near Swanage in Dorset in May 2019.
The 49-year-old was pulled unconscious from the sea at Hedbury Quarry and a number of other people had to be recovered from the water by the Coastguard and RNLI during the incident.
Dorset coroner Brendan Allen described how Mr Farrell had booked with his two sons to take part in the activity run by Land & Wave on the afternoon of May 26, 2019.
He said that after a ‘risk acknowledgement’ briefing, the participants were split into three groups, with Mr Farrell and his sons being allocated to guide Charles Ridley.
Iain Farrell, from Dorney, near Windsor, died while taking part in the activity, which involves climbing and swimming around a rocky part of Jurassic coast in Dorset (pictured: Hedbury Quarry in Dorset) in May 2019
Dorset coroner Brendan Allen described how Mr Farrell had booked with his two sons to take part in the activity run by Land & Wave on the afternoon of May 26, 2019
The group were all kitted out in wetsuits, neoprene socks, buoyancy aids and helmets.
He said that Mr Ridley, who worked freelance, had completed his training and been issued with a certificate in coasteering leading in July 2016.
He said: ‘Mr Ridley had led many coasteering trips for Land & Wave, and was considered an experienced coasteering guide.’
Mr Allen said Mr Ridley took his group of nine participants, including Mr Farrell and his sons, aged 13 and 15 at the time, to Hedbury Quarry.
He said that Mr Ridley, who was equipped with a VHF radio, throw-line and knife, carried out a ‘dynamic risk assessment’ of each member of the group as he asked them to enter the water and swim out about 10 metres.
The coroner described how Mr Ridley taught the group to perform a ‘safety raft’, also referred to as a ‘circle of love’, which involved the participants forming a circle in the water by holding on to the next person’s buoyancy aid straps.
Mr Allen said: ‘It became apparent quite quickly that Iain was falling behind the group. Mr Ridley swam with Iain, talking to him and encouraging him.
In a statement read to the hearing, Mr Farrell’s wife Amanda Farrell said her husband, who she was separated from at the time of his death, had wanted to ‘make the best of the outside world’ with his sons (pictured: son Sean Farrell)
‘He decided Iain wasn’t able to continue with the activity and encouraged him to swim to the shore so he could get out of the water.
‘It was a rocky shoreline and Iain was not able to fully climb out of the sea and on to one of the ledges.
‘Mr Ridley did climb on to a ledge and threw a throw-line on more than one occasion but Iain was not able to grab it. Iain then fell face-first in the water.’
Mr Allen then described how Mr Ridley dived back into the water and recovered Mr Farrell from the water and began chest compressions on him, but he was unresponsive.
He said the remainder of the group, who were continuing to perform the ‘safety raft’ in the water, alerted some nearby climbers who raised the alarm with the emergency services.
He said the Coastguard, RNLI, ambulance and police attended, and Mr Farrell was winched on to the floor of the quarry.
The coroner at inquest held at the Bournemouth Town Hall in Dorset (pictured) described how Mr Ridley taught the group to perform a ‘safety raft’, also referred to as a ‘circle of love’, which involved the participants forming a circle in the water by holding on to the next person’s buoyancy aid straps
Mr Allen said resuscitation attempts continued but ceased at 4.50pm, when Mr Farrell was confirmed to have died.
In a statement read to the hearing, Mr Farrell’s wife Amanda Farrell said her husband, who she was separated from at the time of his death, had wanted to ‘make the best of the outside world’ with his sons.
She said: ‘Iain was a very supportive father and husband, his life was his family.’
She said that their sons’ lives had been ‘turned upside down’ by their father’s death, which had left them suffering ‘upset, anger, frustration and a lack of trust’.
She said: ‘I too am grieving for a man I spent 26 years with. Our lives will never be the same again without him.
‘The boys will miss out on all the special occasions that he will not be a part of.
‘All we can do is keep talking about him to keep his memory alive.’
Amanda Farrell (left) said that their sons’ lives had been ‘turned upside down’ by their father’s death, which had left them suffering ‘upset, anger, frustration and a lack of trust’ (pictured right: Sean Farrell, 19)
Mr Farrell’s brother Matthew said in a statement that his brother accepted that he was not the best at swimming.
He said: ‘He didn’t have a reliable swimming technique, he could swim maybe a length or two of a swimming pool before he needed a rest.’
Mr Farrell added his brother had chosen the coasteering activity because ‘it appeared to be a safe and suitable adventure for him to undertake with his boys with acceptable risk’.
He added that his brother was ‘physically strong’ and ‘fit and healthy if a little overweight’.
David Mutton, former director of Land & Wave, said the company had been running coasteering activities since 2010 and prior to the incident had most recently been licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) in February 2019.
He said the National Coasteering Charter set a ratio of one guide for a maximum of 10 participants.
The inquest continues.
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