A HERO dad drowned after diving into the sea to save his children.
David Fell's teenage son and daughter had got into trouble at the beach while on a family holiday last year.
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Former rugby player David Fell died while trying to help his teenage children Credit: Orrell RUFC
YorkshireLive reports an inquest heard how the 55-year-old had waded into the sea at Reighton Gap beach near Filey, Yorks, but was swept away by a rip tide.
He was pulled from the water by a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crew, but despite the best efforts, was pronounced dead at 2.55pm on July 22, 2021.
Other beachgoers managed to rescue David's teenage children, who were then admitted to Scarborough General Hospital's intensive care unit.
David's wife, Fiona, told the inquest that she believes more safety measures could have been in place at the holiday resort, like a flag system, lifeguards, and specific warnings about rip tides.
Bourne Leisure, who owns Haven Holidays which runs Reighton Sands Holiday Park near to the beach disputed Fiona's claim and said a number of warning signs were in place.
They said there are three signs warning the water is "unpredictable" and signs explaining what to do if someone finds themselves struggling in the water.
But they confirmed there are no lifeguards or flag warning system.
Fiona said: "I am very diligent with regards to looking for these things, as my son suffers with epilepsy. If I'd known the potential dangers of ‘rip tides’ and currents I would have never allowed them to go into the sea.
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"I feel adequate measures must be put in place immediately in order to prevent another family from grieving forever. Just as we were."
She said her family feel David's death and the near-drowning of her children was a "catastrophic accident waiting to happen".
She added that her daughter is still receiving treatment from an abdominal aortic rupture she suffered as a result of the incident.
Jenna Free, one of the rescuers on the beach at the time, told the inquest how they used her husband's drone to search for the missing dad.
She described how they "looked and looked, but couldn't see anything".
Ms Free said she directed the lifeboat to look towards the drone as it searched the waters for David, a former rugby player for Rochdale Hornets and Salford Red Devils in the 1980s and 90s.
In a statement following the tragic incident, an RNLI spokesperson said their team attended "very quickly" as they were about to conduct an exercise nearby.
The spokesperson added that once David had been pulled from the water, he was transferred at "top speed" to paramedics.
The two-day inquest is ongoing.
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The tragedy happened at Reighton Gap beach in Filey, Yorks Credit: Getty