Andrea Powell, 41, died in hospital after being rescued from the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest last Saturday.
Police said a woman from south Wales has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and released pending inquiries.
A massive rescue operation was launched when a group of nine people encountered problems while exploring the Pembrokeshire river last weekend.
I was expecting a charge earlier since it seemed to me, at the time, the paddleboarders had acted totally irresponsibly in taking to raging flood waters for “fun”. The inevitable ensuing tragedy involved hundreds of “responders” whose presence was likely needed elsewhere in Wales:
Dyfed-Powys Police, firefighters, coastguard, ambulance crews and four helicopters were deployed to the stretch of the river at Quay Street about 09:00 BST.
@Omah , one can only surmise the person arrested was a paid organiser of an event and let the boarders in the river knowing it was dangerous, or allegedly dangerous at this stage.
Most attractions like this are. Too much can go wrong the organizer can’t foresee. This must be a case of neglect on her part.
There are many places in the world marked as too dangerous to go, and people literally die trying to prove it’s not too dangerous.
That’s what I mean, this must be more than just letting people go in at their own risk, perhaps she encouraged them to or made light of the danger?
There is an attraction to danger. I can’t resist going to watch the water crash over the sea wall when the tide is high in a storm. If you ever hear I’ve been swept away, it’s entirely my own fault.
When I see a sign like that. I take it at it’s word. When taking photos at Little River Canyon, AL, I was walking up to the edge (no guardrail, nothing). I tripped on a tree root and was stumbling right towards the edge. I caught myself in time of course(pants probably needed cleaning, lol), but this taught me that to be more cautious. When a sign is there, I feel there is a very good reason. I don’t ever think “Oh, I’m the exception.” Hell if anything I prove the rule.
I think that’s very wise and I’ve learned to be more cautious, but I am attracted to danger sometimes, so I do understand a little bit why the paddle boarders went in, stupid as it was.
I expect the water was wild and thrilling and the thought of mastering it was exciting and exhilarating.
