A teenager from Toxteth drowned in a lake near Chirk Castle while on a day trip to North Wales with friends, an inquest has heard.
The incident
Ashamekh Bortata, 17, got into difficulty while swimming in a lake close to the castle. He and six friends had travelled from Liverpool by train, planning to visit Llangollen. However, upon arriving in Chirk, the group realised it would be difficult to reach the town and decided to walk in the grounds of Chirk Castle, which is owned by the National Trust.
In a statement read at the inquest in Ruthin, one of the group, who cannot be named, said they "stumbled across" a wood and then saw the lake. Some of the boys swam towards a boat on the lake, and Ashamekh, who said he was a good swimmer, also entered the water.
Emergency response
When Ashamekh, a student at Liverpool Life Sciences Technical College, was halfway to the boat, he called for help. A friend grabbed his wrist but lost his grip. The group raised the alarm, and an underwater search team began looking for him. He was found the following day at the bottom of the 2.6-metre deep lake, which was said to have dense reeds and grass.
Family tribute
In a statement read at the hearing, Ashamekh's family said he was hoping to study engineering at University College London after finishing his studies in Liverpool. Sporty and athletic, he was described as "a caring, bright and successful son and brother".
Senior Coroner for North Wales East and Central, John Gittins, recorded a conclusion of misadventure. He said he knew the area well and had visited Chirk Castle many times but was unaware of the lake. "It's a private area and they were there without permission," he said.
