Survivor tells inquest how large wave tragically hit Shrewsbury's Summer Robertson

Patrick Jasper told the hearing how panic set in as the wave headed towards the group as they paddled in the sea off the South African coast. Mr Jasper managed to find his way back up on shore, but Summer Robertson, 21, of Sundorne, Shrewsbury, and fellow volunteer Alice Barnett, 19, from Canterbury, both drowned.

The inquest, held in Shrewsbury, heard that the tragedy happened at Woody Cape beach, near Port Elizabeth, at the end of a volunteering programme on December 4 last year.

Summer and Alice were paddling in the sea with fellow volunteers Charlotte Underwood and Mr Jasper, as well as Matt MacKaill, a manager with Lattitude Global Volunteering, which had organised the trip.

The party had arrived at Woody Cape the day before. Mr Jasper, from Colchester, told the inquest that the group had decided to go down to the beach after dinner, at about 6.30pm. A sixth member of the group, Ellie Abraham, also went with them, but decided to stay on the shore.

"After about 20 minutes we decided to head back because the currents were getting a bit strong," said Mr Jasper. "We saw a wave heading towards us, and all three girls started to panic, and said they couldn't stand up.

"I told Alice and Summer to relax, as Lottie had started floating on her back and seemed to know what she was doing. I didn't see Alice again, and some five minutes later I was washed up by a large wave, and after a few waves we were spread out."

Mr Jasper said that eventually he was able to make it back into the shallow water, where he was taken to safety by a lifeguard.

Mr Jasper said there were no signs around the resort to warn people about the dangers.

Miss Abraham told the inquest she'd been sitting on the beach when she heard her friends had got into trouble. She ran back up to the resort, where a party of lifeguards had been staying, and raised the alarm.

Speaking by video link from South Africa, Mr MacKaill said he was second into the sea on the evening in question, following Mr Jasper. He said the other three were some distance behind. "I would say I was thigh to waist-hight in the water, while the girls were probably about knee-high," he said.

He told the inquest that the project was only the second group trip which Lattitude had run in Port Elizabeth, and it was the first time it one had been concluded at Woody Cape.

Under questioning from Mr Sam Jones, who was representing the families of Summer and Alice, Mr MacKaill agreed that he had co-authored guidelines which advised against swimming in the dark or at dusk in South Africa. He had also recommended using only beaches which were supervised with lifeguards – Woody Cape was not – and to seek the advice of locals before entering the water.

But Mr MacKaill said the guidance was specifically for swimming, and nobody in the group had any intention of doing that.

"We were just paddling and splashing about," he said. Mr MacKaill added that it was still light when they entered the water.

Expert witness Tim Scott, a marine scientist at Plymouth University, said Woody Cape was typical of the type of beach which would have experienced strong "rip currents". He said it was possible the group might have entered the sea in an area where it was relatively calm, but strayed into a danger area. Mr Scott said there was a need to make people more aware of the dangers of rip currents.

Shropshire senior coroner John Ellery said he would be looking at what steps could be taken to reduce the risk of a similar tragedy in future. Recording a narrative conclusion, Mr Ellery said: "The deceased died in the sea having entered the water unaware of the risks of rip current and were unable to escape when caught."

At the start of the hearing, Summer's mother Sarah paid tribute to her daughter, saying she would often take on the role of an "agony aunt", offering advice to friends who telephoned her late at night.

In a statement after the inquest Lattitude chief executive Joanne Smithson said following an internal investigation several new measures were introduced in February.

She said: "Lattitude Global Volunteering has a long track record of enabling young people to undertake volunteering projects in many countries around the globe, furthering their personal development and benefiting the communities where they live and work. In doing this nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our volunteers."

Miss Smithson said the deaths had been felt by everyone in both its UK and South Africa teams.

"Alice and Summer were popular members of their team, who had generously given their time to support others," she said."Their deaths are truly a most terrible loss."

Mr Jones said afterwards the families hoped the coroner will make constructive recommendations to the relevant organisations and authorities in order to ensure that any further deaths in similar circumstance can be prevented.