An inquest heard that an 18-year-old man gave his life in the process of saving his two nephews and a niece from a strong riptide off the coast of Dorset by letting go of his older sister in the water.
After swimming to save the three little children, Callum Baker-Osborne became fatigued and momentarily clung to his sister, Samantha Osborne-Ward, for support.
He let his sister go so she could get to safety before he disappeared in the sea after realising he ran the risk of drowning them both. Four days later, his body was discovered.
Baker-family Osborne’s published images of Callum on the beach with one of his nephews minutes before the tragedy occurred at the beginning of the inquest in Bournemouth.
The incident took place on the afternoon of July 26, 2021, following the arrival of the big Coventry family for a caravan vacation at Hamworthy, Poole.
A few of the 30 members of the family went for a paddle at the Rockley Point beach, but a big wave threw everyone into deeper water, forcing Baker-Osborne to jump in to rescue his nephew Byron.
He then assisted Cameron, another of his nephews, to escape before hearing his sister yell for assistance as her daughter Aurora, who was seven, was being taken away. He got to her and helped her onto the boat.
He and his sister were drawn together by the current, and he clung to her. But when they submerged once more, she alerted him that she was drowning, and he did not hesitate.
Samantha Osborne-Ward testified at the court that her brother, a skilled swimmer who was also physically active from his rugby training, had been eager to take the kids swimming at the beach.
Due of Covid, the family had not frequented many beaches and several of the younger members had never even seen the ocean.
“A sudden large burst of water pulled us down,” Osborne-Ward recalled. We were all very exhausted after the greatest blast, but we eventually clawed back up. She described how he assisted the young ones before turning his attention to her. “He clung to me for support; he was worn out. As soon as I told him that he was drowning me, he released his grip.
Mother of Baker-Osborne Ann Marie Osbourne described the water’s force as follows: “All of a sudden, the floor was gone. I felt as though I were being spiralled around. I was unable to comprehend what was taking place.
Despite an air and sea search being conducted, Baker-body Osborne’s was not found until July 30. A postmortem examination determined that he drowned to death.
The Inquest continues.
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