Firefighter died swimming during Majorca triathlon

Carl Cavanagh got into difficulty during a triathlon in Majorca

An "extremely fit" firefighter died while swimming in a triathlon in Majorca, an inquest has heard.

Heathrow Airport Fire and Rescue Service crew commander Carl Cavanagh, 45, had been swimming in the Challenge Peguera event when he got into difficulty in October 2019.

He was pulled out of the sea but did not survive, the court was told.

Coroner Brendan Allen concluded the death was natural, but the precise cause could not be ascertained.

The Bournemouth court heard Mr Cavanagh, from Wimborne, Dorset, had flown to Spain with his wife to take part in his first triathlon when he died on 19 October.

Giving evidence, Elizabeth Cavanagh said her husband had swam in open water before but was anxious about the swimming leg.

Mr Cavanagh was recovered from the water at Tora Beach in Peguera, Majorca

Graham Taylor, a member of the UK Fire Service triathlon team, said conditions in the sea were "rough".

His wife Zoe Taylor described assisting lifeguards perform chest compressions and attaching a defibrillator.

She said: "They [paramedics] were unable to get Carl's heart started again and had taken the decision to stop CPR."

Pathologist Dr Robert Blahut explained he was unable to discern Mr Cavanagh's exact cause of death, but on the balance of probability it was more likely the death was natural.

Heathrow Airport Fire and Rescue Service later marked the anniversary of Mr Cavanagh's death

The court heard a fire service fitness test completed by Mr Cavanagh on 18 June showed him to be "A-one fit".

He had been a firefighter since the age of 18, working at Bournemouth and Southampton Airports, before becoming a crew commander at Heathrow Airport.

Speaking to Mrs Cavanagh, Mr Allen said: "I'd like to offer you my condolences on your loss."