'Experienced' open water swimmer died after suffering cardiac arrest in sea off Redcar

Debby Tarantino, who was described as an experienced open water swimmer, died after being found unconscious in the sea at Redcar. Credit: Gazette Media Syndication

An "experienced" open water swimmer died after suffering a cardiac arrest in the sea, an inquest has heard.

Debby Tarantino suffered a "significant brain injury" after being found unconscious in the sea at Redcar.

An inquest at Teesside Magistrates' Court heard friends of Ms Tarantino believed she was “riding the waves” after she was spotted “lying on her back” when the large group were in the water just after 7pm on Wednesday 26 July.

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The 57-year-old, who had previously completed the Great North Swim, was described as an experienced open water and sea swimmer.

She was pulled from the water before being taken to James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, were she was placed in a coma.

She died 12 hours later, on Thursday 27 July.

At the inquest on Wednesday 23 November, Dr David Scoones said his opinion was that her cause of death was ischemic cerebral injury caused by immersion in water.

The court heard it was suspected she had suffered a cardiac arrest while in the water.

Andrew Bennett, a fellow sea swimmer, who was present on the day of the incident, told the inquest how the large group attended the beach, near Majuba car park, at around 7pm and entered the water.

He described how the waves became bigger and Ms Tarantino shouted: “It’s got me”. He tried to swim towards her, but was pushed under water.

He told the court how he thought she was “riding the waves” as he could see her “on her back”.

After being pushed under water, he swam back to the shore and asked where she was. He and another member of the group then pulled her from the water.

She was not conscious, was not breathing and had no pulse, the inquest heard.

The RNLI boat first attended the scene and administered first aid before she was taken to hospital.

Mr Bennett said: “We would have never gone into the water knowing there was any danger.”

Assistant coroner Andrew Blair recorded Ms Tarantino died from the effects of cardiac arrest, the cause of which cannot be ascertained.

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