A man drowned after he was pulled under a waterfall by a current at Pontneddfechan while holidaying with friends in south Wales, an inquest has heard. Hemanta Kumar Rai, 28, from Farnborough, could not swim and had gone into the water at Sgwd Gwladys "up to his knees" when, shortly after, a friend who was with him heard him shouting for help.
The inquest, held at Pontypridd Coroners' Court, heard that Mr Rai, of Woodvale Road, Farnborough, had travelled to the waterfall with a group of friends on the final day of their holiday in south Wales on August 16, 2021, and were due to travel home that evening. A statement from Sorab Rai, who the inquest heard was a "close friend", said that he and Hemanta Rai had walked ahead of the group, arriving at the waterfall first, and that Hemanta Rai could not swim.
The statement read that Sorab Rai, who entered the water to swim, could see Hemanta Rai walking around in the water "which was just up to his knees." However, the inquest heard that when Sorab Rai turned around again, he could no longer see his friend and said he heard him shouting for help. The inquest heard that Sorab Rai could then see Hemanta Rai "struggling in the water."
