Three people have died and one is in critical condition in hospital after a group of paddleboarders got into trouble at a river in Wales, police have confirmed.
A man and two women died at the scene while another woman is still being treated at Withybush Hospital, Dyfed-Powys police said.
Paul O’Dwyer, from Port Talbot, South Wales, has now been identified as one of the victims who died in the freak accident.
His employer Salty Dog Co – a surf-style clothing and paddleboard company – paid tribute to him in a post on social media. They wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our salty dog Paul.
“A nice person taken too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your friends and family. You will be missed a lot. ”
Five people rescued from the water were not injured.
Emergency services came down on the Cleddau River in Haverfordwest on Saturday to take part in a river rescue with several agencies to search for people in the river.
Heavy rain had meant the river was in flood and had become turbulent.
Those involved are said to have been part of the South Wales Paddle Boarders and Salty Dog Co, an organization based in Port Talbot.
The group of nine people were from different areas across South Wales and were on an annual trip where they spent the weekend exploring the river.
On Sunday morning, the company posted a tribute to Mr O’Dwyer on Twitter, saying: “It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our salty dog Paul.
“A nice person taken too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your friends and family. You will be missed a lot. ”
Sir. O’Dwyer and company director Nerys Lloyd attended a charity event earlier this month where they raised more than £ 4,000 by completing The Wye 100 in 24 hours, paddling down 100 miles of the river from Glasbury to Tintern Abbey.
He also hosted a mass paddleboarding event in September, where 130 people paddled from Mumbles in Swansea to Aberavon in Port Talbot and raised more than £ 2,000 for RNLI and a local lifeguard club.
One of the members on the fatal trip said she had pulled out of the paddle the morning the incident took place as she was worried about the conditions.
Vickie Mckinven of Milford Haven told PA Media: “Absolutely heartbreaking, were all good friends. And did so much to raise money for charity.”
A member of the public is also believed to have entered the water to attempt a rescue and later leave the water safely.
Dyfed-Powys Police have not yet released the names of those who have died, but said their relatives are being supported by specialists.
Detective Jonathan Rees said a full investigation was already underway, but at this point his thoughts were focused on the loved ones of those who had died and the injured paddleboarder who remains in the hospital.
The force said: “Dyfed-Powys police received reports of people in distress in the Cleddau River in Haverfordwest shortly after 9am on Saturday 30 October.
“A group of nine adults from the South Wales area had traveled to Pembrokeshire for a paddle-boarding excursion.
“The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated, but it is believed the group got into difficulties in the water.
“Unfortunately, two women and a man died on the spot, and one woman remains in a critical condition in the hospital. The relatives are being supported by specialized family liaison officers.”
The Quay Street area was cordoned off for several hours and the public was asked to avoid the area while a search of the river took place.
Thirty firefighters from the Central and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, including wading specialists and rapid water rescue technicians, responded to assist with the rescue.
Two fireboats were launched to assist with bank and river searches, with crews working closely with the participating coastguards.
There was helicopter support from NPAS, Coastguard and Wales Air Ambulance, and the Angle RNLI lifeboat was also tasked.
The Welsh ambulance service responded with several ambulances and took the injured woman to Withybush Hospital.
More than 20 police officers attended the scene, which remained cordoned off until about 6 p.m.
HM Coroner, Health and Safety Executive and Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have been informed.
An MAIB spokesman said: “A team of inspectors from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been deployed to Haverfordwest to conduct a preliminary assessment of the accident in collaboration with other agencies.
“The aim of MAIB’s preliminary assessment is to help determine the way forward.”
Thomas Tudor, councilor for the city’s Castle Ward, called the incident a “terrible tragedy”.
Councilman Lyndon Frayling told the PA: “They were by the river. It’s such a turbulent river when it’s flooding.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said on Saturday: “We were called at 9.16am this morning for reports of a water-based incident involving several people near Quay Street, Haverfordwest.
“We responded with two rapid response vehicles, three emergency ambulances and two units from Wales Air Ambulance.
“By 1 p.m., a patient had been transferred by road to Withybush Hospital for further treatment.”
Liz Saville Roberts, head of Plaid Cymru in Westminster, said on Saturday: “The news that emerges from the River Cleddau incident in #Haverfordwest is disturbing.
“God hasten the emergency services and support the families.”
Stephen Crabb, the Welsh Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, said on Saturday: “Terrible incident in Haverfordwest this afternoon.
“Thoughts with everyone involved and the emergency response.”
NPAS Southwest Region also tweeted about their involvement, saying, “Thoughts are with all those affected by the tragedy today in #Haverfordwest.”
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