Sign of hope after teen's sea death

SIGNS warning of the dangers of using inflatable dinghies in the sea could be put on a section Great Yarmouth's beach after an inquest into the death of a teenager on a day trip to the resort.

Motar Abudeeb, 19, had travelled to Yarmouth with his four brothers in June last year when the tragic accident happened.

An inquest into the teenager's death was held at Yarmouth Magistrates Court last Thursday.

The inquest heard that Motar and his 15-year-old brother had been flying a kite on the beach before buying a dingy which they inflated and took into the sea, north of Britannia Pier.

The high wind and strong tide took the dinghy out to sea and after taking on water, the dinghy capsized. The brothers tried to swim to the shore - Motar's younger brother made it but the college student went missing.

A major search operation, co-ordinated by Yarmouth Coastguard was launched and involved police, Yarmouth and Gorleston RNLI lifeboat and Caister lifeboat as well as an RAF search and rescue helicopter. Rescue teams searched into the night and for much of the following day.

Motar's body was retrieved from the sea by workers on an oil rig support vessel on July 6, about 20 miles north east of Mundesley.

The inquest heard evidence from Paddy Lee of Gorleston lifeboat and Colin Tomlinson, Coastguard duty manager.

Both Mr Lee and Mr Tomlinson told the inquest that at the time the boys took the dinghy to sea, conditions were at their worst with an ebbing tide and strong offshore wind.

It was also revealed the area north of Britannia Pier, where the boys had been, is not covered by a lifeguard watch or danger signing.

In reaching a verdict of accidental death, coroner Keith Dowding echoed the views of the Mr Lee and Mr Tomlinson over the dangers of using inflatable dinghies at sea.

Motar lived in Norwich and was an engineering student at City College. Mr Dowding expressed his sympathy to Motar's family and paid tribute to the response of the emergency services.

Mr Dowding said he would explore whether warning signs for that area of beach could be improved.