Suffolk woman ‘might have been saved’ from drowning if fire service alerted more quickly
Summary
A woman in Suffolk who drowned after getting stuck headfirst in sea rocks might have been saved if emergency services had acted faster, a coroner said. The ambulance service delayed informing the fire service, which arrived last and freed her quickly, but she was declared dead shortly after.Key Facts
- Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, drowned after getting stuck headfirst in sea defence rocks in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on February 2, 2025.
- A 999 call was made at 7:52 pm, describing her trapped position and struggle in the water.
- The ambulance service did not immediately alert the fire service; they were informed only at 8:04 pm.
- Firefighters arrived at 8:22 pm and freed her within 30 seconds after first touching her at 8:29 pm.
- Cole-Nottage was declared dead at 8:44 pm.
- The coroner said earlier fire service involvement might have allowed her to be saved but survival was not likely.
- Concerns were raised about the ambulance service’s slow recognition of the rescue situation and the early declaration that she was deceased.
- The coroner criticized the advice given to the caller not to try to rescue her, which followed strict entrapment rules rather than immediate drowning response guidelines.
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