Death of paddle boarder in Lake District was a ‘tragic accident’

An inquest has recorded a verdict of accidental death following the drowning of a man who had been paddle boarding on Ullswater last summer.

Olumide Favour Giwa, aged 26, from Rochdale fell into the water on 7 August 2022 and did not resurface, sparking a large search operation by the emergency services. He was found four days later.

It was the first time he had been to the Lake District. He and his girlfriend decided to go to Ullswater last August and brought their own paddleboard, but with only one life jacket between them.

They set off paddleboarding close to Aira Force but quickly got into difficulty when the water became choppy. Both fell in but Mr. Giwa did not resurface. The inquest heard that he wasn't wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid and did not know how to swim. 

His family is urging others to take extra care when going onto the water. 

His mother, Christy Ekhator, said: "It's a lifetime pain and I will miss him forever. Be very careful, be cautious. If you want to go inside the lake, get a life jacket. They should all be cautious." 

His father, Nosa Osaswin Asemota, added: "Risking your life and putting your life in danger harms the family. My family now, we are not OK since this thing happened." 

The search began to try to find him involving the police, fire, mountain rescue and the North West Underwater Search Team. Using sonar equipment divers located his body four days later.

Recording a verdict of accidental death due to drowning, the coroner said the Lakes can be a delight but as this case illustrated, they could also be dangerous.

He said one positive would be to remind people of the risks that swimming in the Lakes can pose and urge people to be careful in following these pursuits. 

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