A young man who jumped into the Thames to save a woman died following a "sheer act of bravery", an inquest has heard. Folajimi "Jimi" Olubunmi-Adewole, 20, was on his way home from work in April 2021 when at about midnight he went into the water with another would-be rescuer, Joaquim Garcia.
The woman and Mr Garcia were saved by the coastguard and marine police but Mr Olubunmi-Adewole could not be found. His body was recovered about six hours later, near London Bridge.
Assistant coroner Dr Julian Morris concluded at Inner London Coroner's Court: "This was a sad loss of a young man who wanted to help, in an emergency, a member of the public who had fallen into the Thames." He said his death was accidental, adding: "The courage to jump to help a complete stranger in the Thames at night is quite astonishing."
The court heard how Mr Olubunmi-Adewole had been walking over the bridge with his friend Bernard Kosia after their shift ended. Mr Kosia said the pair were alerted by two other men to the woman in the water. After hearing the woman screaming out "I can't swim, I'm going to die", they called the police.
Det Sgt Stefan Yiannaki, from City of London Police, giving evidence, said: "It was a sheer act of bravery trying to help the woman and losing his life in the process." Mr Olubunmi-Adewole was posthumously put forward for a Royal Humane Society award by City of London Police to honour his "memory and heroism" for his "bravery and selfless actions".
