Fatal Mistakes on the Water: What Led to the Paddleboarding Deaths in Wales?

People Also Read

Young Welsh Couple’s Race Across Asia: Love, Diabetes, and Unbreakable Bonds

Tragic End: Football Fan Takes Own Life Hours After Racism Allegation Shakes Chester FC

Seven Injured in Three-Car Collision on A541 at Bodfari; Road Remains Closed

A former police officer and paddleboarding business owner has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison following a tragic accident that claimed the lives of four people on a river in south-west Wales. Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, organised a stand-up paddleboarding trip on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021 despite hazardous weather conditions and official warnings.

Lloyd, who ran Salty Dog Co Ltd, failed to inform the group about a dangerous weir on the route or provide instructions on how to safely navigate it. As a result, the participants were swept over the weir, with some becoming trapped beneath the fast-flowing water. The victims—Paul O’Dwyer, 42; Andrea Powell, 41; Morgan Rogers, 24; and Nicola Wheatley, 40—drowned during the incident.

At Swansea Crown Court, Lloyd pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The judge criticised her lack of safety measures, including the absence of a safety briefing, proper equipment, consent forms, or next-of-kin details. There was also no warning about the weir or the tidal river conditions, despite Met Office weather alerts and flood warnings being in place at the time.

Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey described the tragedy as devastating, noting that the victims were “cut off in their prime.” She condemned Lloyd’s decision to proceed with the tour despite the extreme risks and highlighted that alternative, safer routes had been dismissed.

Prosecutors emphasized that Lloyd and another instructor, the late Paul O’Dwyer, were not qualified to lead the group in such perilous conditions. Lloyd’s defence acknowledged her full responsibility for the deaths and expressed deep sorrow for the families affected.

The court heard distressing evidence, including CCTV footage of the incident and a recorded conversation where Lloyd admitted fault but initially tried to shift blame. The prosecution stated the tragedy was avoidable and called for the sentence to reflect the severity of Lloyd’s negligence.

This sentencing marks a significant moment in highlighting the importance of strict safety standards in adventure tourism and the consequences of disregarding them.