A former soldier on a paddleboarding expedition died after trying to save two members of his group from the water.

Father-of-three Paul O’Dwyer, 42, lost his life along with the two women who got into difficulty near a weir on the River Cleddau, west Wales, during heavy rainfall on Saturday morning.

Another woman was rushed to hospital, where she remained in critical condition on Sunday night, while a further five people were rescued unharmed by emergency services.

The tragedy struck on a weekend away organised by the South Wales Paddle Boarders and Salty Dog Co, an organisation based in Port Talbot.

One of the paddleboarders on the trip, Vickie Mckinven, said: ‘Paul did lose his life attempting to save two of the girls also in distress due to an unexpected downpour.

‘Absolutely heartbreaking, was all good friends. And did so much to raise money for charities.’

Vickie said she had pulled out of that morning’s paddle because she was concerned about the weather conditions.

After serving with The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers 108 Welsh Squadron militia, Paul founded SA1UTE, a charity supporting veterans in South Wales.

A spokesperson for Paul’s rugby club, Aberavon Green Stars RFC, said the 42-year-old ‘put his own life on the line yesterday to make sure others were safe’.

The club paid tribute to the victim’s ‘infectious smile’ and ‘upbeat character’, and said he was an ‘avid adventurer, whether he would be paddleboarding, surfing, skiing, walking or climbing, nothing was too small for Paul to achieve’.

Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees of Dyfed-Powys Police said a ‘significant’ rescue operation involving helicopters, firefighters, coastguards and the RNLI joined police and paramedics in responding to the incident.

He added: ‘The exact circumstances of the incident are being thoroughly investigated.

‘At this stage, my thoughts and the thoughts of my colleagues are with the family of those who lost loved ones, and of the injured person who remains in hospital.

‘Paddle boarding is a growing leisure pursuit and we would encourage those engaging in the activity to ensure they understand the weather conditions and water conditions at a particular location where they may be enjoying that sport.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article