A recent report has revealed a shocking lack of safety measures in open water swimming events which could lead to future deaths.
This warning comes from a coroner, who has raised concern about the lack of safety regulations in such events following death of a swimmer.
A 55-year-old named Joel Kenneth Ineson man drowned at Hetton Lysons Park on June 1, 2023 after suffering a cardiac arrest while taking part in an organized open water swim, as per Sky News.
It is pertinent to note that open water swimming events in the UK are not governed by any official regulatory body, so there are no specific rules or guidelines to ensure the safety and health of participants.
While, David Place, the senior coroner for the City of Sunderland, concluded that his death was accidental and not due to any safety issues at the event, he still issued a warning in his report.
What did the report say?
The report said, "Mr Ineson was a keen participant in organised open water swimming events with safety at the forefront of his mind."
"[He had] a reasonable expectation that appropriate safety measures would be in place" and was charged a small fee for entry," David added.
The report found several safety issues at the open water swimming event.
"Some participants not receiving a specific safety briefing, a lack of knowledge of the competency [of] every participant and no understanding as to who was in the water and how many people were in the water at any one time," the report added.
Coroner now sent an official warning , called a Regulation 28 report, to two important authorities, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive.
This report is a legal document used to alert these officials about concerns that could lead to future deaths or serious harm if not addressed.
