A teenager who drowned at a South Wales beach after jumping off a pier in celebration of finishing exams might not have died if a lifeguard was present, a coroner has said.
David Ejimofor, 15, died after getting into trouble during a ‘coming of age ceremony’ in the water off Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot.
His family said he jumped into the sea with friends at high tide in what was said to be a well-known local end-of-school-year tradition.
David was rushed to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, but he could not be saved.
In a prevention of future deaths report, the assistant coroner for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot said the teenager drowned in June 2023 after leaping from the breakwater.
Edward Ramsay said no lifeguard was stationed around the pier to stop the dangerous activity, as had been the case in the past.
The coroner said he had received no explanation why the measure had been stopped before the tragic incident, and warned future deaths could occur unless safety measures are improved.
‘The breakwater should not have been used for that purpose but was known to have been used for that purpose by local children and teenagers, especially in the spring and summer months when the weather was good and the tides were high,’ Mr Ramsay said.
David Ejimofor, 15, tragically died at Aberavon beach, Port Talbot, after jumping in to the sea to celebrate the end of his GCSE exams
‘In the past, lifeguards had been stationed at or around the pier, at these times, to deter this activity.
‘No lifeguard was present at the time that David jumped.
‘Had there been one, it is possible that David would not have jumped and therefore would not have drowned.
‘I was not given, in evidence, a satisfactory or cogent explanation as to why that measure had been removed prior to David’s death, nor why that measure continues to be absent today,’ the coroner continued.
After his death, the teenager’s family set up a petition addressed to Neath Port Talbot Council demanding they improve the safeguarding at the beach.
But the coroner said he had not been shown ‘any evidence that other deterrence measures put in place since David’s death (including clearer signage and a limited-height barrier) are otherwise working effectively to reduce the risk.’
At a previous hearing, 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.
The sport star and TikTok star was heavier than a typical 15-year-old and had a bodybuilder’s diet.
David’s family pictured visiting Aberavon Beach where floral tributes where left for their son
The inquest heard that witnesses noted that the teenagers who had tried to keep David afloat were physically ‘exhausted’.
In a tribute, David’s family said he was ‘a vibrant and promising young boy’ and a beloved ‘son, brother, cousin, nephew and friend’.
They also described him as ‘well-behaved and God-fearing’ with an ‘unwavering passion for sports and health’.
‘He was always striving to be the best version of himself. He has an infectious smile, caring nature, and boundless enthusiasm. He touched the lives of many.’
‘David’s dreams of a bright future were cut short, but his memory will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
‘As described by locals, this is a ‘yearly coming-of-age ceremony’ practised after GCSEs and A-levels that the entire community is aware of,’ his family wrote as part of the petition.
‘If everyone, including schools, are aware of this practice, surely we would expect the council to have better safeguarding measures in place, especially at this time of year.
‘David Ejimofor was not the first to suffer such a fate at the hands of this pier.
David jumped off the pier with a group of friends as part of a ‘coming of age ritual’
‘We do not want David to be another statistic.
‘We want his name to serve as an end of this unfortunate trail.
‘It is for this reason that we seek change and reform by improving safeguarding measures at Aberavon Beach.’
The coroner’s report has been sent to Neath Port Talbot Council, Associated British Ports and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, who have 56 days to respond.
