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Grieving Mother Speaks Out After Paddleboarding Tragedy Claims 4 Lives
30 Oct
Summary
- Grieving mother's devastation and fury over daughter's death in paddleboarding accident
- Instructor jailed for 10 years and 6 months for gross negligence manslaughter
- Tragedy tore apart families, leaving children without mothers
In October 2021, a tragic paddleboarding accident on the River Cleddau in Pembrokeshire, UK claimed the lives of four people. The victims were Morgan Rogers, 24, Nicola Wheatley, 40, Andrea Powell, 41, and Paul O'Dwyer, 42.
The group had been taking part in a stand-up paddleboarding tour organized by Nerys Lloyd, a former police officer and owner of Salty Dog Co Ltd. Lloyd has since been jailed for 10 years and six months after being convicted of gross negligence manslaughter over their deaths.
Teresa Hall, the grieving mother of Morgan Rogers, has spoken out about her devastation and fury, saying "Anger doesn't even come close to how I feel. I am in torture... no parent should have to bury their child [because of] something that was so unnecessary."
For widower Darren Wheatley, the tragedy also tore apart his family. His wife, Nicola, a dental hygienist and devoted mother of two, had joined the group thinking it would be a fun weekend adventure. "She's destroyed my family life, she's destroyed my children's family life... their mother will never come back," he said.
The official investigation concluded that Lloyd's decision to press ahead with the tour, despite weather warnings, was "reckless" and "wholly avoidable." The judge condemned her "abysmal" approach to health and safety and accused her of showing "arrogance and complacency" in the face of clear danger.
