Inquest into three deaths after surfing incident on Cornish beach

Updated

An inquest is taking place into the deaths of three people who died during a surfing incident in Cornwall.

Stuart Calder, 52, Rachel Dunn, 42, and her partner Kevin Reynolds, 44, were pulled from the sea off Mawgan Porth beach in Newquay.

Mr Calder, from Leeds, Ms Dunn and Mr Reynolds, both from St Austell, are believed to have died while attempting to save four teenagers.

The four teenage boys - two aged 18, one 16 and one 15 - were taken to hospital after the tragedy but found to be safe and well.

Lifeguards were not patrolling the beach when the incident took place in October, as they only do so between March and September.

Following the incident, the RNLI said a review of the beach's lifeguard cover during the autumn and winter holidays would be undertaken.

The inquest, in front of Dr Emma Carlyon, will take place at Truro Municipal Buildings and is scheduled to last all day.

Devon and Cornwall Police previously said officers were called by the Coastguard after reports that seven people were in difficulty in the water.

The RNLI, coastguard, police, ambulance service, air ambulance and a Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter were all involved in the rescue.

Mr Calder, Ms Dunn and Mr Reynolds were all unconscious when they were pulled from the sea.

They were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske in a serious condition but later pronounced dead.

Three Surfers Die Off Newquay Coast in Cornwall
Three Surfers Die Off Newquay Coast in Cornwall

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