London teen died in Glasbury river on Duke of Edinburgh expedition, inquest hears

A teenager died after becoming submerged by the current in the River Wye during a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition (DofE), an inquest has heard.

Umar Dumbuya, 18, from London, had been hiking near Glasbury in Powys on 30 June.

Emergency services were called to the popular bathing spot following reports “a male had entered the water and could not be located”.

A post mortem was carried out at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant on 9 July, where no provisional cause of death was given, pending further investigation.

The inquest opening in Pontypridd heard how Umar was taking part in the DofE expedition when he entered the River Wye and got into difficulty.

He “became submerged by the current and failed to resurface”, the hearing was told.

He was later identified by one of his teachers.

Kerrie Burge, coroner for South Wales Central, said: “I am satisfied it is necessary to open an inquest into the death of Mr Dumbuya, because the circumstances suggest his death is unnatural.”

She offered her condolences to his family and adjourned the inquest until a date to be fixed.