Tragedy as dad-of-two dies in Crete as urgent warning issued to holidaymakers

A coroner has issued an urgent warning to holidaymakers travelling to Greece this summer after the tragic death of a much-loved father-of-two.

Andrew Story, 56, drowned in the sea while on holiday on the Greek island of Crete. The tragedy happened on October 12 last year when he entered the water in Rethymno, Crete. He was said to have been in the water for just a few minutes before a bystander was seen giving him CPR on the beach.

Mr Story, from Frodsham, Cheshire, was taken to hospital by paramedics, but pronounced dead later. A post-mortem examination carried out in Greece found he died after drowning in sea water. Another post-mortem, conducted in the UK, cited drowning, but also referenced left ventricular hypertrophy, which is often the result of high blood pressure and can cause heart problems.

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Now, after an inquest into his death, a coroner has written to authorities in Greece, through the Foreign Office, to raise her concerns over beach safety in the area.

Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, has now issued a 'prevention of future deaths' report to the 'Greek authorities'. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 gives coroners the opportunity to make reports to a person, organisation, local authority or Government department or agency where they believe action should be taken to prevent future deaths.

The report states the conclusion of the inquest was accidental death but says Greek authorities could have done more to prevent his death, reports The Echo.

Ms Devonish references a lack of lifeguards and red warning signs on the beach. The sea in the area was described as 'particularly rough'. Her report reads: "It was understood that the Greek Coroner had informed bereaved family members that the sea was particularly rough in Rethymno, Crete, and had no lifeguards on duty between 31 August and the end of the summer season. This coincided with tourist season making the use of that beach and sea for swimming generally, and particularly unsafe in the absence of red warning markers, signs or flags."

The beach is one of the longest in Crete. In online tributes following Mr Story's death last year, he was described as a 'funny, generous and charming man'.

His daughter, Erin, wrote in a tribute on Facebook: "My dad loved the sea and his kayak, and decided to sign up to the RNLI when he spotted them on his favourite beach in Tenby. This is an especially appropriate choice as my dad sadly passed by drowning. We will also be sending donations to Cancer Research, as cancer has had a devastating impact on our family.

"On a personal note, I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me and my family during what has been the hardest weeks of our lives. My dad was a huge part of so many lives and loved by everyone who met him, which is evident in the hundreds of lovely cards and letters we have received. We’ll always love you dad, gone but never forgotten"

Ms Devonish concluded action should be taken to prevent future deaths from happening, with the authorities having until August 26, 2024, to respond to the report.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “We supported the family of a British man who died in Crete.”