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Kyra Hill inquest: 'Cloudy water' where girl died says diver Kyra Hill inquest: 'Cloudy water' where girl died says diver
(about 5 hours later)
Kyra Hill was attending a birthday party at Liquid Leisure in Berkshire when she got into difficultyKyra Hill was attending a birthday party at Liquid Leisure in Berkshire when she got into difficulty
A diver who found an 11-year-old girl who drowned at a water park told an inquest the water was "cloudy" and there was "zero visibility".A diver who found an 11-year-old girl who drowned at a water park told an inquest the water was "cloudy" and there was "zero visibility".
Chris Knight, a firefighter and trained diver said: "I couldn't see my hand in front of my face just the shadow of it."Chris Knight, a firefighter and trained diver said: "I couldn't see my hand in front of my face just the shadow of it."
Kyra Hill, from Croydon, south London, got into difficulty in a designated swimming area while attending a birthday party at Liquid Leisure, near Datchet, Berkshire, in August 2022.Kyra Hill, from Croydon, south London, got into difficulty in a designated swimming area while attending a birthday party at Liquid Leisure, near Datchet, Berkshire, in August 2022.
Mr Knight told the hearing at Reading Coroner's Court that it was "very very difficult" to find Kyra due to visibility, depth and a lack of location for her whereabouts.Mr Knight told the hearing at Reading Coroner's Court that it was "very very difficult" to find Kyra due to visibility, depth and a lack of location for her whereabouts.
Mr Knight explained that he was not working the day that Kyra went missing, he had multiple missed calls from 15:44 onwards.Mr Knight explained that he was not working the day that Kyra went missing, he had multiple missed calls from 15:44 onwards.
He said he returned a call at 16:19 and was informed that "someone had gone missing in the lake".He said he returned a call at 16:19 and was informed that "someone had gone missing in the lake".
Mr Knight lives half a mile away, after grabbing his diving gear he was on-site within 10 minutes.Mr Knight lives half a mile away, after grabbing his diving gear he was on-site within 10 minutes.
The inquest heard that when he arrived a member of staff from Liquid Leisure was on a paddleboard and pointed to an area for him to search.The inquest heard that when he arrived a member of staff from Liquid Leisure was on a paddleboard and pointed to an area for him to search.
He said: "I was swimming circles in the area."He said: "I was swimming circles in the area."
Chris Knight said there was "zero visibility" in the lake where Kyra was foundChris Knight said there was "zero visibility" in the lake where Kyra was found
When he came up the fire and rescue service were in a boat and pointing with poles to an area for him to search.When he came up the fire and rescue service were in a boat and pointing with poles to an area for him to search.
He said: "I continued searching in that location."He said: "I continued searching in that location."
He told the inquest that he was "not told directly where Kyra was last seen" and "no one had looked at CCTV".He told the inquest that he was "not told directly where Kyra was last seen" and "no one had looked at CCTV".
He said: "Because people had been wading around, fire and rescue had been poking the bottom, the silt and algae was moving around.He said: "Because people had been wading around, fire and rescue had been poking the bottom, the silt and algae was moving around.
"I could see maybe a metre at most, it was not clear, very cloudy like seeing a shadow.""I could see maybe a metre at most, it was not clear, very cloudy like seeing a shadow."
As soon as CCTV was checked, he said he had a "more accurate area" to search and he said he found Kyra "almost straight away probably within minutes".As soon as CCTV was checked, he said he had a "more accurate area" to search and he said he found Kyra "almost straight away probably within minutes".
Mr Knight resurfaced with Kyra at 17:09, 12 minutes after the CCTV check and handed her immediately to medical teams. Mr Knight resurfaced with Kyra at 17:09hrs BST , 12 minutes after the CCTV check and handed her immediately to medical teams.
He said it would have been "very unlikely" for a surface swimmer to have found Kyra and described it as looking for "a needle in a haystack" as there was "zero visibility".He said it would have been "very unlikely" for a surface swimmer to have found Kyra and described it as looking for "a needle in a haystack" as there was "zero visibility".
'Surreal scenario'
Liquid Leisure's owner and director, Stuart Marston told the inquest that he first became aware of the situation when waterpark manager David Novell "requested him at the beach" over the radio at about 15:30hrs.
He said he couldn't be "100% sure where the missing child was" which is why he ordered staff searches on both land and lake.
He said: "All I knew was there was a lost or missing child" he told the inquest that at this point he had no idea if the child "was a boy or a girl or their age".
He said: "From the moment I was called on the radio, the situation was taken very seriously.
"I'm a parent myself, of three children and losing a child sends any parent into a panic."
Mr Marston had over 70 staff on-site, that day, listening to the radio regarding a missing child.
He said he "shut the gates to the waterpark as he couldn't be sure it wasn't an abduction".
He said: "We had conflicting reports of where Kyra was last seen, it was very difficult and confusing - I was panicking."
Mr Marston explained that he spoke to the party organisers who "didn't know how many children she was in charge of."
He said: "I pleaded with her to get them all together so I could find out who was missing."
He was informed that it was Kyra and a picture was sent to over 200 staff on a group chat.
Senior coroner Heidi Connor told Reading Coroner's Court that Mr Marston sounded "worried and urgent" on the 999 call.
He told emergency services that there was a "lost child, maybe drowned" that she was last seen "in the water going under" he needed "divers to attend with equipment".
Mr Marston confirmed that in hindsight he "would have cleared the water sooner" that he "should have looked at CCTV sooner" and a "procedure for a missing swimmer should have been in place".
The hearing continues.The hearing continues.
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