Rescue efforts did not follow guidance in case of mother trapped in sea defence rocks in Lowestoft

An inquest has revealed concerns about the rescue efforts following the tragic death of 32-year-old Saffron Cole-Nottage. The mother from Lowestoft, Suffolk, became trapped headfirst in sea defence rocks as the tide was rising.

The incident occurred on 2nd February last year while Ms Cole-Nottage was walking her dog with her daughter at Lowestoft seafront. An initial emergency call was made at 7.52pm, leading to a paramedic arriving at the scene by 8.10pm. Shortly thereafter, at 8.13pm, police were informed that it was considered a body recovery operation.

At an inquest on Tuesday, Professor Richard Lyon, a consultant in emergency medicine, highlighted that the rescue efforts did not adhere to existing guidelines. "I do not think the guidance was followed in this case," he said.

Prof Lyon explained that guidelines recommend a 30-minute rescue effort clock to start when the responder arrives and submersion is confirmed. He raised concerns about whether responders could be certain of the submersion when making the body recovery decision. "This decision seemed to be made from above the railings when she was down in a difficult situation," Prof Lyon added.

He emphasised the importance of having an unequivocal timeline, stating, "The whole purpose of the guideline is to maximise the chance of a lifesaving rescue."

Prof Lyon detailed how factors such as age, physiology, and environmental circumstances affect survival time when submerged. He estimated Ms Cole-Nottage’s probable survival window to be approximately five minutes post-submersion and highlighted the increasing challenges posed by her upside-down position among the rocks.

The inquest previously noted a blood alcohol level of 271 milligrammes per 100 millilitres for Ms Cole-Nottage, which could have affected her ability to prevent falling. Prof Lyon stated, "For Saffron to have had a probable survival, she would have needed to be rescued within five minutes of submersion."

The inquest continues.

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