Teens Drowned After Rope Swing Accident in River Tyne
Aras Rudzianskas, 13, and David Ionut Radut, 14, died after a rope swing incident in the River Tyne at Ovingham, Northumberland, on May 18, 2024. The pair were part of a group of around 20 children who traveled from Newcastle to the river, where they had been less than half an hour when the tragedy occurred.
An inquest at Northumberland Coroner's Court heard that David, who could not swim, let go of the swing too early and landed in a deeper part of the river. He got into difficulty, shouted for help, and Aras ran into the water to try to save him. In his panic, David pushed Aras under the water, and both struggled.
Attempted Rescue and Discovery
Another child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, tried to help David by grabbing his arms but had to let go as they felt themselves getting into difficulty and swam back to the riverbank. Assistant Coroner Paul Dunn said something grabbed their leg, and they were unsure if it was the current or David.
David went under the water and was not seen again. Aras, face down with arms spread, was taken by the current. Fiona Matthews, who was paddleboarding, found Aras face down. 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 turned him over, pulled him onto her paddleboard, and began chest compressions while paddling to shore with her hands after losing her paddle.
Medical Response and Recovery
Paramedics took over in the water and managed to restart Aras's heart, but he could not breathe on his own. He was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, where he died three days later. David's body was found on the riverbed at 6:30 pm that evening and taken to the RVI.
Detective Sergeant Danielle Grant of Northumbria Police requested the tree branch with the swing be cut down the next morning, but she told the court: "I was informed an unknown person has gone down and cut down the entire tree." The pair were the first to use the swing; DS Grant said: "Nobody else had got around to having a try because it happened so quickly."
Witness Accounts and Family Concerns
Some children flagged down a bus for help. Ben Corlett, who was in the area, said: "There was a lot of panic, a lot of hysteria, crying and shouting." Police received three calls: at 3:29 pm, a distraught caller said two mates had jumped in and were dead; at 3:31 pm, a bus passenger reported a drowning; and at 3:35 pm, a caller said two males had drowned, with one struggling and the other helping before being pulled under.
David's family questioned why they were not notified until 6:50 pm. PC Grant explained that police initially did not know which male was which due to similar descriptions and no belongings. Coroner Dunn, who also presided over the inquest of Robert Hattersley, 13, who drowned in the same river in 2022, said: "I dealt with the inquest of Robert Hattersley... I remember sitting with his family and very much hoping I wouldn't have to have another family in front of me again." The inquest continues.
