Tag: swimming
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Brit student died after accidentally hitting his head falling into hotel swimming pool on holiday, inquest hears
A BRIT student died while on holiday when he hit his head falling into a hotel swimming pool, an inquest has heard.
Student Charlie Hopkins, 23, from Buckley, north Wales, tragically died while visiting a friend in Tulum, Mexico on April 8, 2021.
History student Charlie Hopkins, 23, suffered a fractured skull when he fell into the pool[/caption]
The inquest heard it was a mystery how he fell into the water because no-one else was in the pool when the 1am tragedy took place.
CCTV footage showed Charlie walking on a balcony through the hotel’s reception area in his underpants on April 9, 2021.
The hearing was told no-one else was in the pool in Tulum, Mexico, but “very soon afterwards” a camera captured the water in the pool being disturbed.
Another guest discovered his body on the bottom of the pool about five hours later.
Charlie, of Buckley, North Wales, had studied history at University College, London.
In a statement read at the inquest his father Mark described him as “bubbly” and “the light and soul of every room he was in”.
He was a keen musician and strong campaigner for LGBT rights.
He said that Charlie had good friends in London where he lived – but was glad to jet off on holiday when the lockdown restrictions during the Covid pandemic were eased.
He checked into the two-storey Hotel Turquoise Petit in Tulum on April 8, 2021.
He was invited there by his pal Alex who lived in Mexico.
The inquest in Ruthin heard he had a video call to his parents almost every day while he was there.
“We became concerned when we didn’t hear from him for 24 hours,” said Mr Hopkins.
On April 9 they received the “devastating” call that he had been found dead.
His father said: “He was a lively, loving, trusting young man. He saw only the good in everyone.
“Charlie would always finish talking to someone and say ‘I love that person’ – that’s just the sort of person he was.”
Mr Hopkins’ family said his death has left them “broken” and that their lives have been “turned upside down.”
A post-mortem examination was carried out in Mexico. His body was later repatriated.
Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers confirmed the cause of death as “a blunt force head injury and drowning, consistent with a fall from height”.
John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, said initally there were some initial concerns that he had been assaulted.
But the coroner said he had probably hit his head somehow while entering the pool, adding: “There is absolutely no reason to give consideration to it being a deliberate act.”
He recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
Tourist spots ‘huge’ shark swimming around harbour during high tide in Cornwall
A TOURIST has spotted a “huge” shark swimming around a harbour during high tide in Cornwall.
Olga Bates, 46, was visiting popular seaside resort St Ives with family when they caught sight of the sizeable fish near a collection of boats.
The shark was spotted in St Ives, Cornwall[/caption]
Experts identified it as a basking shark[/caption]
They snapped a photo of the beast at 6.26am on March 23 as they strolled along the seafront.
Experts have identified it as a basking shark, which can grow up to 45 feet long.
The species is the second-largest type of shark, behind the whale shark, and eat by swimming with their huge mouths gaping open to catch plankton as they filter water through their gills.
Olga, who was visiting the town from Knighton, Wales, explained that her attention had been caught by a group of seals that was “hiding” from the vast creature.
She said: “We were very lucky.
“We woke up so early to watch the sunrise and spotted seals hiding under the bridge and then we saw what they were hiding from – the shark.
“It was amazing to see and it was so close to the beach. I was an amazing surprise for us, we have never seen one that close before.
“We were enjoying the views and the sunshine, we were overwhelmed.”
She added that the shark was about 10 feet long and was larger than some of the boats it passed as it circled the harbour.
The family stayed and watched it swim until the tide began to go out and it vanished.
An ecstatic Olga went on: “It was amazing to see it so close, I was so lucky and my grandson was very excited.”
The Wildlife Trust describes the basking shark as a “gentle giant” and they are not commonly known to be aggressive towards humans.
However, the Trust advises anyone who encounters a basking shark in the water to give it plenty of space as its sheer size can make it dangerous.
The Trust’s website states: “Remember that sharks can be unpredictable.
“If swimming with the sharks, stay in a group and remain at least 4m from each shark.
“You should never touch the shark.”
The Wildlife Trust calls the species a ‘gentle giant’ but advises people to keep their distance as, while not aggressive, their size can make them dangerous[/caption]
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