Two friends were pulled underwater as they desperately tried to stop their friend from drowning after he jumped in to the sea during an end of exam celebration, an inquest has heard.
Despite the youngster’s best efforts David Ejimofor, 15, tragically died at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot, on Monday, June 19, 2023.
The hearing at Swansea Coroners’ Court heard that David had told his friends he was not a confident swimmer just before attempting the stunt but his friends encouraged him to jump in anyway.
Swansea University pathologist Dr Williams noted that the promising bodybuilder was told by his pals that they would help him if he found himself struggling to swim.
As soon as David jumped in he began thrashing around in panic and two of his school friends tried to keep him afloat but were pulled underwater themselves.
Dr Williams told the hearing: ‘Witnesses say all males except for David were completing a series of jumps from the pier.
‘Two of the males shouted to David join them and he said he wasn’t a good swimmer.
‘They explained they would help him. When David jumped into the water they began to assist him and they were being pulled below water.’
David Ejimofor, 15, tragically died at Aberavon beach, Neath port Talbot, on Monday, June 19, 2023 after jumping in to the sea to celebrate the end of his GCSE exams
The sport star and TikToker was heavier than a typical 15-year-old and had a bodybuilder’s diet.
The inquest heard that witnesses noted that the teenagers who had tried to keep David afloat were physically ‘exhausted’.
One eyewitness, fisherman Luke McDonald said he watched as David’s friend egged him on to jump in and believed he was safe and supported by the other teens.
He said: ‘I saw thrashing around a bit. I saw some others grab him and keep him afloat. He looked like he had support. I turned back to my fishing rod. I then heard them say they couldn’t see him. I heard someone shout: ‘I can’t see Dave.’
The terrifying scenes were quickly noted by those on the beach and pier who tried to help the struggling school pupils by diving in and throwing a life ring over to the group.
Tyler Rowland, an off-duty police officer at the beach who was paddleboarding at the time, told the court he heard several of the seven teenagers return to the beach in panic.
DC Rowland said: ‘I remember hearing one of them say: “He’s gone.” I paddled towards them and some of them told me someone had gone under the water and hadn’t come up.
‘Two or three of the boys, aged around 15 and 16, were in the water and were shaken up and treading water. One of them said something like: ‘He’s a big boy and he can’t swim.’ They were in real panic. A teenage girl was screaming at them, “Look for him, look for him.”‘
As soon as David jumped in he began thrashing around in panic and two of his school friends tried to keep him afloat but were pulled underwater themselves
The inquest heard that the police officer dived several times searching for David’s body before eventually finding it in the murky water.
He said: ‘I dived down and was searching the floor with my hands. It was completely dark and I couldn’t see anything. My hands hit what I thought was a rock at first. I then was convinced it was the top of an arm. I was on the sea floor at this point and the male was flat on the seabed.
DC Roland then described placing the life ring over schoolboy’s head and swimming with him to shore alongside his exhausted school friends.
He told the inquest: ‘We put the ring over his head and put his arms out of the ring either side. He was completely limp and kept sliding out of the ring. He was motionless.
‘I told the boys: “Grab the ring and swim as far as you can.” They were exhausted.’
Paramedic Barry Edwards said according to witness reports David had been under the water for 10 minutes.
He said two shocks were administered using the defibrillator and advanced life support was provided at the scene before the bodybuilder was pronounced dead at 8.05pm.
The paramedic was helped to carry the body to shore by nurse Amy Saunders who was at the beach and described ‘never experiencing trauma like it’ as she worked with the emergency services.
Teachers at his St Joseph’s Catholic School in Port Talbot said it was ‘deeply saddened’ by the ‘tragic and unexpected passing away’ of one its pupils.
David’s mother Maria Ejimofor said her son was superfit – and won athletics competitions, was a keen weightlifter and made TikTok tutorials on social media.
She described her son as ‘beautiful young boy,’ who was ‘bright and sporty’.
His mother’s statement said he ‘achieved so much in his 15 years’ and had aspirations to become a doctor.
Mrs Ejimofor told the court her son wasn’t a strong swimmer and she and her family were ‘shocked’ to hear he had jumped into the water from the pier.
She said he was able to swim after having lessons as a child but he was not confident in the water.
The heartbroken mother added that he often went to the beach a mile from his home because his family lived close by but was always cautious of the sea.
‘I never saw him paddle further than up to his knees or thighs. He was not a risk-taker. He would not put his head in the open water. He was fully aware that he was not the strongest of swimmers. He was particularly cautious around open water,’ she said.
Paying tribute to David she said he was a ‘bright and curious soul who always had a smile on his face’.
She added: ‘He was honest, caring, intelligent, polite, independent, hardworking, full of life, respectful, and a beautiful young boy who had achieved so much in his 15 years.
‘David was a beacon of positivity and resilience. He brought joy and laughter and his memory will remain in the hearts of those fortunate to have known him. His spirit inspires us to find strength in the most difficult moments.’
The inquest in Swansea continues.
