A teenager has been praised for his heroic attempt to save his father who drowned in choppy seas off the coast of Tenerife.
William Howd, who was 16 at the time, jumped into rough waters at Punta de Teno when he saw his father Stephen struggling.
The incident occurred at a remote coastal area where the pair had been swimming before sea conditions rapidly deteriorated on April 21, 2023.
The father and son from Farnham, Surrey, had been enjoying a swim after jumping from a rocky outcrop - a spot the 57-year-old barrister frequently visited.
The incident occurred at a remote coastal area where the pair had been swimming near Punta de Teno Lighthouse, Tenerife
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"Stephen and his son William jumped in and were enjoying themselves until the sea conditions changed dramatically, the sea became rough and the currents in the water became difficult to swim against," Coroner Jason Pegg told an inquest in Winchester.
Both were unable to return to their entry point, which had become submerged by rising waters.
People on the shore created a makeshift rope from clothing, which William grabbed and was pulled to safety. However, from the shore, he saw his father struggling in the water.
"William then jumped back into the sea and swam out to his father. When William reached his father he described his father as being slumped over and face down in the water," said Pegg.
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A post-mortem examination found that Stephen Howd died as a result of drowning
GeographThe teenager managed to turn his father over and swim back to the rocks with him. When William reached the rocks with his father, he saw "his father's face and in William's view, he had passed away," the inquest heard.
William was unable to pull his father ashore, and Howd was swept back out to sea. Rescuers later retrieved him but despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination found that Stephen Howd died as a result of drowning. The coroner praised William, now 18, for his "very valiant and brave attempt" to save his father.
Howd, from Farnham, Surrey, was described as a "strong swimmer" who often visited the rocky outcrop to jump into the sea.
