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| Camber Sands: Lifeguards 'may not have prevented deaths' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The deaths of seven men who drowned at a beach last summer might still have happened even if there were lifeguards, a coroner has concluded. | The deaths of seven men who drowned at a beach last summer might still have happened even if there were lifeguards, a coroner has concluded. |
| Two men died at Camber Sands, East Sussex in July, followed by five young friends a month later in August. | Two men died at Camber Sands, East Sussex in July, followed by five young friends a month later in August. |
| Following a five-day inquest in Hastings, coroner Alan Craze ruled their deaths were through misadventure. | Following a five-day inquest in Hastings, coroner Alan Craze ruled their deaths were through misadventure. |
| Afterwards, the families of the five men said they believed lifeguards could have saved their lives. | Afterwards, the families of the five men said they believed lifeguards could have saved their lives. |
| They said all five were competent swimmers but had been "blamed for their own deaths". | They said all five were competent swimmers but had been "blamed for their own deaths". |
| The RNLI had precommended employing lifeguards previously. | The RNLI had precommended employing lifeguards previously. |
| Recording his conclusions, Mr Craze said: "The RNLI had recommended, amongst other measures, deploying lifeguards at the beach in 2013 but this had not happened. | Recording his conclusions, Mr Craze said: "The RNLI had recommended, amongst other measures, deploying lifeguards at the beach in 2013 but this had not happened. |
| "Of course, it is not known whether such a step would have prevented the deaths, but it has now been implemented." | "Of course, it is not known whether such a step would have prevented the deaths, but it has now been implemented." |
| Q&A: What happened at Camber Sands? | Q&A: What happened at Camber Sands? |
| Mr Craze said he would be sending off a prevention of future deaths letter with official figures highlighting his concerns, including those over the control of risk assessments. | Mr Craze said he would be sending off a prevention of future deaths letter with official figures highlighting his concerns, including those over the control of risk assessments. |
| The inquest had heard that there was no legal requirement for Rother District Council to follow through with recommendations contained in risk assessments by the RNLI. | The inquest had heard that there was no legal requirement for Rother District Council to follow through with recommendations contained in risk assessments by the RNLI. |
| Consultant forensic pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer recorded a cause of death of immersion [drowning] for all five victims who died last August. | Consultant forensic pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer recorded a cause of death of immersion [drowning] for all five victims who died last August. |
| Rother District Council offered its condolences to the families and said it did not "want anyone else to have to suffer the tragedy of losing a loved one in these circumstances". | Rother District Council offered its condolences to the families and said it did not "want anyone else to have to suffer the tragedy of losing a loved one in these circumstances". |
| It said it had made improvements "year on year" at Camber in response to the risks identified. | It said it had made improvements "year on year" at Camber in response to the risks identified. |
| Live: More on this story and other news from Sussex | Live: More on this story and other news from Sussex |
| Victims | Victims |
| Kenugen Saththiyanathan, 18, known as Ken, died alongside his brother Kobikanthan Saththiyanathan, 22, known as Kobi, both from Erith, south-east London. | Kenugen Saththiyanathan, 18, known as Ken, died alongside his brother Kobikanthan Saththiyanathan, 22, known as Kobi, both from Erith, south-east London. |
| Their three friends who also died were Nitharsan Ravi, 22, from Plumstead, Inthushan Sriskantharasa, 23, from Grays, Essex and Gurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, from Welling. | Their three friends who also died were Nitharsan Ravi, 22, from Plumstead, Inthushan Sriskantharasa, 23, from Grays, Essex and Gurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, from Welling. |
| Two other people had also died there a month earlier. | Two other people had also died there a month earlier. |
| On 24 July, Mohit Dupar, 36, from Hayes, west London, attempted to reach Brazilian Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, after he got into difficulty. | On 24 July, Mohit Dupar, 36, from Hayes, west London, attempted to reach Brazilian Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, after he got into difficulty. |
| Mr Silva Da Cruz died at the scene. Mr Dupar died in hospital four days later. | Mr Silva Da Cruz died at the scene. Mr Dupar died in hospital four days later. |
| The inquest heard the five men were all fit, healthy and competent swimmers but were unaware of "hidden dangers". | The inquest heard the five men were all fit, healthy and competent swimmers but were unaware of "hidden dangers". |
| Oceanographer Dr Simon Boxall believed they got into trouble after heading out to a sandbar to play ball a significant distance out at sea, and then got into trouble amid a fast, incoming tide as they tried to head back to shore. | Oceanographer Dr Simon Boxall believed they got into trouble after heading out to a sandbar to play ball a significant distance out at sea, and then got into trouble amid a fast, incoming tide as they tried to head back to shore. |
| He told the inquest there was insufficient wave activity to build up rip currents at the beach, but there would have been strong currents that would have had a significant impact even on a strong swimmer. | He told the inquest there was insufficient wave activity to build up rip currents at the beach, but there would have been strong currents that would have had a significant impact even on a strong swimmer. |
| 'Beach patrol staff' | 'Beach patrol staff' |
| Nine deaths occurred at Camber in the four years from 2012, including the seven last summer. | Nine deaths occurred at Camber in the four years from 2012, including the seven last summer. |
| There were no lifeguards on the beach prior to the seven deaths. | There were no lifeguards on the beach prior to the seven deaths. |
| Instead, the area was manned by beach patrol staff whose tasks included reuniting lost children with their parents and dealing with lost property. | Instead, the area was manned by beach patrol staff whose tasks included reuniting lost children with their parents and dealing with lost property. |
| The inquest was told that in 2013 the RNLI had offered to deploy lifeguards following a risk assessment after the death of Tanzeela Ajmal, 31, a year earlier, and a number of near misses. | The inquest was told that in 2013 the RNLI had offered to deploy lifeguards following a risk assessment after the death of Tanzeela Ajmal, 31, a year earlier, and a number of near misses. |
| Beach-goer Thatchayiny Segar drowned at Camber in 2015. | Beach-goer Thatchayiny Segar drowned at Camber in 2015. |
| The RNLI also offered to provide lifeguards at Camber in 2009. | The RNLI also offered to provide lifeguards at Camber in 2009. |
| 'Good swimmers' | 'Good swimmers' |
| Arumukam Saththiyanathan, the father of Ken and Kobi, said in a statement to the inquest that they had "good swimming ability" and their Sri Lankan village was surrounded by three big rivers. | Arumukam Saththiyanathan, the father of Ken and Kobi, said in a statement to the inquest that they had "good swimming ability" and their Sri Lankan village was surrounded by three big rivers. |
| He said his sons swam in Sri Lanka almost every weekend before they came to the UK in July 2008. | He said his sons swam in Sri Lanka almost every weekend before they came to the UK in July 2008. |
| "As a family, we went to the beaches in the UK nearly every summer and the boys went without us sometimes," he said. | "As a family, we went to the beaches in the UK nearly every summer and the boys went without us sometimes," he said. |
| One of the fathers said it had been claimed the group were of Asian origin and not able to swim. | One of the fathers said it had been claimed the group were of Asian origin and not able to swim. |
| Relatives also said they were disappointed Rother District Council had not taken up recommendations by the RNLI in 2009 and 2013 to provide lifeguards. | Relatives also said they were disappointed Rother District Council had not taken up recommendations by the RNLI in 2009 and 2013 to provide lifeguards. |
| They called for resignations at the authority, and said civil action had not been ruled out. | They called for resignations at the authority, and said civil action had not been ruled out. |
| 'Minimise the risks' | 'Minimise the risks' |
| In a statement, Dr Anthony Leonard, the Rother council's executive director of business operations, said: "Our sympathies remain with the families, friends and communities of the seven people who tragically lost their lives last year. | In a statement, Dr Anthony Leonard, the Rother council's executive director of business operations, said: "Our sympathies remain with the families, friends and communities of the seven people who tragically lost their lives last year. |
| He said the deaths were different to the two previous incidents, which had involved non-swimmers paddling in shallow water, wearing non-swimming attire. | He said the deaths were different to the two previous incidents, which had involved non-swimmers paddling in shallow water, wearing non-swimming attire. |
| "Following an urgent review of the fatalities in 2016, we asked the RNLI to provide a full lifeguard service at Camber to give visitors reassurance and minimise the risks further. | "Following an urgent review of the fatalities in 2016, we asked the RNLI to provide a full lifeguard service at Camber to give visitors reassurance and minimise the risks further. |
| "This service is now in place and our beach patrol works closely with the RNLI to deal with land-based incidents and educate visitors of the dangers of the sea. | "This service is now in place and our beach patrol works closely with the RNLI to deal with land-based incidents and educate visitors of the dangers of the sea. |
| "All measures put in place at Camber are kept under constant review." | "All measures put in place at Camber are kept under constant review." |