A teenager who could not swim died after releasing a rope swing too soon and landing in deep water, and a friend who tried to rescue him also drowned, an inquest has heard. David Ionut Radut, 14, and Aras Rudzianskas, 13, were playing on a rope swing near the River Tyne in Ovingham, Northumberland, on May 18, 2024. They were among a group of about 20 youngsters who had travelled from Newcastle and had been at the river for less than half an hour when the tragedy occurred.
Details of the Incident
Northumberland Coroner's Court in Morpeth heard that David released the swing too soon and landed in a deeper section of the river. He struggled in the water, cried out for assistance, and Aras rushed into the water to save him. In his panic, David pushed Aras under the water, and both floundered. Another youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, tried to help by grabbing David's arms but had to let go when they felt themselves getting into trouble. Assistant Coroner Paul Dunn said something caught their leg, and they were unsure if it was the current or David.
David submerged and was not seen again, while Aras, face down with arms outstretched, was swept away by the current. Fiona Matthews, who was paddleboarding on the river, discovered Aras. She initially thought she saw a pale rock but realised it was Aras's back. She turned him over, pulled him onto her paddleboard, and began chest compressions. She said: 'I pulled him under the arms and used his shorts to try and get him out of the water. I think the adrenaline kicked in.' She continued compressions while paddling towards the riverbank, losing her paddle in the process. She managed to bring Aras closer to the bank, where paramedics took over.
Rescue and Aftermath
Medics restored Aras's heartbeat, but he could not breathe independently. He was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, where he died three days later. Officers from the marine unit searched the river for David, and his body was found on the riverbed at 6.30pm that evening. He was taken by ambulance to the RVI.
Detective Sergeant Danielle Grant of Northumbria Police arranged for the tree branch holding the swing to be removed the following morning, but she told the court: 'I was informed an unknown person has gone down and cut down the entire tree.' The court heard that the two boys were the first to take a turn on the swing. DS Grant said: 'Nobody else had got around to having a try because it happened so quickly.'
Emergency Calls and Family Concerns
When the boys got into trouble, some youngsters flagged down a bus for help. Northumbria Police received three calls in quick succession. Ben Corlett, who was nearby, said: 'There was a lot of panic, a lot of hysteria, crying and shouting. I didn't realise what happened at first. When I saw them run out in front of the bus I thought maybe one of them had been hit.' The first call, at 3.29pm, reported two friends had jumped into the river and were dead, but the caller was too distressed to give more details. At 3.31pm, a bus passenger reported a drowning, and at 3.35pm, a third caller said two males had drowned, explaining that one had struggled and another tried to help before both were dragged under.
David's family questioned why they were not informed until 6.50pm. PC Grant explained that police initially could not identify the boys because descriptions were similar and they had no possessions with them.
Coroner's Remarks
Coroner Dunn noted he had previously presided over the inquest of Robert Hattersley, 13, who also drowned in the River Tyne near Ovingham in 2022. He told the court: 'I dealt with the inquest of Robert Hattersley, another young man killed in different circumstances in the same piece of river. I remember sitting with his family and very much hoping I wouldn't have to have another family, families, in front of me again and here are unfortunately with a similar set of circumstances.' The inquest continues.
