Swim death teen suffered cold water shock

A teenager drowned after suffering cold water shock while swimming with friends in a Lake District tarn, a coroner has concluded.

Absi Ahmed Mohammad, 17 and from Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire, died at High Dam near Windermere on 7 April, Cumbria Coroner's Court heard.

The "lovely and kind" boy was with three friends when he got into difficulty trying to reach an island at the popular swimming spot, the inquest heard.

Concluding his death was a result of misadventure, senior coroner Kirsty Gomersal urged people to follow open water swimming advice in what had been a "tragic year" for deaths nationally.

The coroner, sitting in Workington, heard the four 17-year-old boys drove to High Dam at Finsthwaite on a "glorious" spring day.

A family representative told the inquest the four "very sensible" boys had planned their expedition and were "super excited" to go for a walk, with the swim a "reward" at the end.

After a two-hour ramble, at about midday they entered the tarn on its western shore and aimed to reach an island 490ft (150m) away.

One boy quickly turned back as he was feeling dizzy, sick and cold, the inquest heard. Another got to the island and a third was nearly there when they heard Absi shouting "help".

The inquest heard he was not a strong swimmer, was about halfway to the island and was "splashing and panicking".

The boy who was still in the water went to help but had to stop as Absi was grabbing at him and dragging him below the surface, the inquest heard.

Cold and exhausted, the boy returned to shore where he and his friend walked to get a phone signal, finally getting through to 999 shortly after 12:30 BST.

The coastguard, mountain rescue volunteers, police, firefighters and paramedics went to the scene with the support of a local farmer.

Absi's body was recovered and he was declared dead shortly before 21:00.

The inquest heard him described as a "lovely and kind young man" with the "biggest smile".

Det Ch Insp Laura Nield, who led the Cumbria Police investigation, said it was a "tragic accident" caused by "cold water shock" and "drowning".

She said there was nothing more his friends could have done and there could have been more deaths if they had stayed in the water.

Though it was warm day of about 21C, the water temperature was at most 11C.

Julie Wood, for the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) which manages High Dam, said the authority installed signage and life-saving equipment at "key locations" where people could access the water, but it was "impossible" to put them "everywhere".

There was a sign at High Dam car park offering advice on "being safe and checking for dangers including cold water and knowing limits", the inquest heard.

The tarn had one emergency throw-line at its southern end, which would have been about a five minute walk for the boys to get to, the inquest heard.

LDNPA ranger Steven Tatlock said he had known the tarn for more than 30 years and there had always been a throw-line at the place most visitors reached first and usually swam from.

A safety review will be held, which would include Absi's family, and the installation of a second throw-line at the opposite side of the tarn would be considered, Tatlock said.

"Beautiful as they are, mountains and water do hold risks and knowledge is the best way of managing those risks," he said.

The coroner said the pain and loss felt by Absi's family was "unimaginable", while it had been a "tragic year for water safety" nationally.

She said it was likely Absi suffered "cold induced swim failure", before reiterating warnings from others about following open water swimming advice.

To float, people are advised to:

• Tilt their head back with their ears submerged
• Relax and try to breathe normally
• Move their hands and feet to help them stay afloat
• Not panic if their legs sink as everyone floats differently
• Practise floating in a swimming pool

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