Ethan Chant inquest told beach warnings missing

Spanish authorities had removed signs warning of strong currents at a beach where a teenager drowned during a family holiday, an inquest has heard.

Ethan Chant, of Weston-under-Redcastle, near Wem, was swept away in waters off the coast of Andalusia near Huelva on May 15.

An inquest which was held in Wem yesterday heard that the 18-year-old former Thomas Adams School pupil died after going for a swim in waters which were notorious for their strong currents.

But as the tragedy happened outside the main holiday season, there were no lifeguards and warning signs on the beach had been removed, the inquest was told.

Ethan's father Shaun said spending cuts in Spain meant services like lifeguards and emergency helicopter response teams had been scaled back.

He said the English speaking and ex-pat community in the Huelva area had long campaigned for improvements to emergency cover on the coast after another British national died in the bay last year.

Mr Chant said: "It was just the most awful accident.

"There is a residents' society there who have been complaining to the Spanish authorities for some time about it.

"There were lifeguard towers there that were not manned."

Army cadet and Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology student Ethan was described by older brother James as a relatively strong swimmer and a 'young fit man' during the inquest.

John Ellery, coroner for mid and north Shropshire, said the cause of death was drowning, adding that Ethan's body was discovered two days after he was swept away.

He said unlike the relatively calm waters off Mediterranean resorts, the Playa de la Bota beach at Punta Umbria was on the Atlantic coast with its more powerful seas.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Ellery said he would write to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to pass on the family's concerns about safety at the beach in the hope Spanish authorities can be lobbied to restore the warning signs off season.

He said: "I have enough to record a verdict of accidental death and I offer you my condolences.

"I will write to the FCO in London to feed back your concerns shared by the residents and the ex-pats' society."

See also:

• Shropshire teenager drowns in Spanish holiday tragedy

• Hundreds at funeral of Shropshire teenager Ethan Chant