A teenager died after jumping off a UK pier as part of a post-GCSE tradition, his family has revealed. David Ejimofor, 15, drowned in the waters of Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, in Wales, on the evening of Monday, June 19, after he leapt from the local North Pier. His devastated family has said he was on the beach with friends and jumped into the sea at high tide during a “yearly coming of age ceremony”.
The coastguard was alerted to the incident around 6pm that evening and launched an operation to rescue David.
Emergency services were able to recover him from the water, and he was rushed to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.
But efforts to save his life failed, leaving the local community in shock.
David’s family has now called for urgent safeguarding changes to ensure a similar tragedy doesn’t occur.
The petition outlines that the 15-year-old was not the first to die after jumping from the pier, adding that the tradition in which he participated was a “yearly coming of age ceremony” known to the community.
His family said that “everyone including schools”, was aware of the tradition, adding they would “expect the council to have better safeguarding measures in place”.
So far, the petition has attracted 1,500 signatories, and the Associated British Ports, the owners of the North Pier, said it would work with local authorities regarding safeguarding.
The family said they want his name to “serve as an end of this unfortunate trail”, and called for better lighting, secured lifebuoys, and a ladder leading to the water from the pier.
If a lifeguard was present after the beloved teen jumped, they said, the “several minutes of David’s life” wasted finding one “could have been saved”.
The petition adds that the recommended measures would save “countless lives”, and David’s life would become a “cannon for change”.
The family have remembered the teenager as a “ray of sunshine”, with an “unwavering passion for sports and health”.
They added in a statement: “He was always striving to be the best version of himself. He has an infectious smile, caring nature, and boundless enthusiasm. He touched the lives of many.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched in David’s name which has now raised more than £10,000 for his bereaved relatives.
