A talented Cambridge University student accidentally drowned after becoming trapped in an underwater tunnel in Malta, an inquest has heard.

Marcus Hughes-Hallett, 20, of Leatherhead, was swimming in the Santa Marija Bay, off the Maltese island of Comino, on a family holiday last August, when he disappeared underwater.

The tragedy happened on a "lazy day" during the holiday, when the Hughes-Hallett family and another were taken around the bay in a boat, the Heylampuki, captained by Sebastian Custance. 

The families made off on foot across rocky headland to reach the caves they were to swim in - a lighter cave containing a shallower pool of water and a darker, deeper cave, connected to the first by an underwater tunnel as well as overhead rocks.

Woking Coroners’ Court, sitting today, heard that despite being warned by Mr Custance not to take the underground route, Mr Hughes-Hallett did so twice - and on the second occasion ran into difficulty.

He was found drowned in a passage after the families, who had made their way to leave the caves across the rocks overhead, raised concerns about his whereabouts.

The court heard Mr Hughes-Hallett had probably been underwater for 15 to 20 minutes when he was lifted from the cave by a passer-by.

Although CPR was attempted, he was pronounced dead after being flown to hospital in a Maltese army helicopter.

Mr Hughes-Hallett’s mother, Kirsten, said her son, who was studying Mathematics at Queen’s College, Cambridge, would have attempted the dive as he was a confident swimmer.

She said: "He thought he was just going to swim out.  It was something he was very confident and capable of doing."

Simon Elliman, who had been on the boat with the Hughes-Halletts and swam with them in the caves, said Mr Custance had warned them against diving in the underground tunnel, saying even he, an exceptional free-diver, had a "scare" when he had attempted it.

Mr Elliman said: "Sebastian Custance must have known for a fact you couldn’t swim through the tunnel without fins.  He must have known it was likely to end in tragedy."

Barry Nolan, founder of Activity Travel, the holiday company the Hughes-Halletts booked their break through, said the head of Malta’s tourism is "absolutely aware of the concerns you have raised" around instructions given to tourists about swimming through tunnels in the caves.

The inquest heard pathologist Dr Michael Hall confirmed Mr Hughes-Hallett’s death was caused by drowning.

Coroner Michael Burgess concluded: "It’s quite possible despite the warning given in Mr Custance’s briefing that Marcus took this to be a challenge rather than a serious caution against taking that route through.

"I am satisfied that I can reach a conclusion that this was due to an accident." 

Comino, which is known for its impressive dive sites and underwater caves, is a one-square mile island between Malta and Gozo. 

Mr Hughes-Hallett’s death came two months after a 31-year-old Russian man died after struggling to remain afloat at another resort in Comino’s Blue Lagoon, despite swimmers’ attempts to resuscitate him.

In 2010, Mr Hughes-Hallett achieved four A*s and a distinction in the advanced extension award for mathematics for his A Levels at Howard of Effingham School, in Leatherhead.

Following the inquest, the Hughes-Hallett family said: "Marcus was living a life of adventure both at university and in his travels and had plans for many more adventures. 

"A decision to swim back through the caves has led him on a different path.

"Marcus was much-loved and is much missed by his family and friends.

"We are very grateful to Marcus’ friends who have been so generous in sharing their memories of Marcus and for continuing to say his name."

They said they hoped their son’s inquest would help raise awareness of drowning as a major cause of accidental death and how this should be considered when organising holiday activities.

 

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