An inquest at Newcastle Coroners’ Court has examined the death of 13-year-old Edie Smart from Monkseaton, North Tyneside, who drowned in the North Sea near Whitley Bay on 24 July, dying four days after being rescued. The hearing highlighted the intense efforts by North East Ambulance Service staff and others to save her life amid difficult conditions.
Bravery At The Scene
Ambulance support practitioners Tracy Collins and Carl Patterson were first on scene and began life-saving treatment while waiting on paramedics. Collins said there was “no heartbeat” and she was “controlling the arrest” until a paramedic arrived six to eight minutes later. Both were praised for their bravery despite only having basic life-saving training.
Airway Challenges
The inquest revealed Edie’s airway was “full of seawater,” with manual suction proving ineffective. Patterson explained they were unable to use powered suction devices as it was not within their scope of practice, complicating efforts to ventilate her.
Paramedic Arrival
Paramedic Zubair Mirza initially thought Collins and Patterson were paramedics and began inserting a cannula before realising otherwise. He then took over, clearing the airway using powered equipment. Mirza praised the RNLI and ambulance crew for performing “exceptional” CPR and said he saw no reason to interrupt their efforts.
Family Concerns Over Response
Edie’s family have questioned whether any missed opportunities in the emergency response may have affected her chances of survival. Their representative recognised the responders’ courage but probed delays and the absence of senior staff during critical minutes.
Inquest Ongoing
The inquest is expected to continue until Friday, further examining all aspects of the incident and the emergency response.
