Afghan refugee drowned in Bedfordshire river - inquest

Haroon Armani, 18, died after going into the river at Cardington Lock during hot weather in June

A teenage Afghan refugee drowned while swimming in an English river during the summer heatwave, an inquest heard.

Haroon Armani, 18, was with a friend in the River Great Ouse at Cardington Lock in Bedford on Friday 16 June when he got into trouble.

A boy and girl dived in to try to find him.

Bedfordshire senior coroner Emma Whitting concluded he died of misadventure and said his knowledge of open water was "unknown".

The inquest in Ampthill heard Mr Armani had been used to swimming at a pool in a local gym.

He was pulled from the water and rushed to hospital, where he died the following morning.

The cause of death was recorded as multiple organ failure as a result of drowning.

Mr Armani was used to swimming at the local gym but it was not known if he was used to open water

Social worker Roseanne Johnstone from Bedford Borough Council said Mr Armani arrived in the UK in August 2021 as an unaccompanied adult.

He had fled Afghanistan because he feared the Taliban, as members of his family had been in the army - the inquest heard.

Mr Armani travelled with a group to Pakistan and they were smuggled in trucks through Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Italy and France, before crossing the channel from Calais on a small boat.

Last December, he was granted leave to remain.

He was living in Bedford and attended Luton's Barnfield College. His ambition was to be a police officer.

"He was a fit, healthy, very active young man. He had always got a smile on his face," said Ms Johnstone.

Ms Whitting said: "In hot weather he entered water of the Great Ouse. Whilst he was familiar with swimming indoors, the extent of his experience and knowledge of open water was unknown."