An inquest heard that a student nurse passed away after hitting her head during a midnight swim with friends.
On March 17 last year, Milie Ann Gentry, who was two weeks into a month-long volunteer trip to a hospital in south west Ghana, passed away.
Staying at Busua beach resort with her friend Erin Byrnes, Gentry and friend Lewis Mallinson decided to swim in the sea after drinking at a pool bar.
Byrnes stated that they were all pulled in by the tide and she tried to keep Gentry above water after her head injury, but sadly Gentry drowned.
Byrnes was rescued by villagers after around 30 minutes, but it took over four hours to recover Gentry’s body.
A post-mortem found that Gentry drowned due to a head injury.
Byrnes paid tribute to her friend, saying: 'Millie had a kind soul and was an amazing girl. I have countless cherished memories with her and feel fortunate to have been her friend.'
The late Gentry’s mother, Tracy, described her daughter as a 'beautiful girl' who aspired to care for sick children after completing her degree at Bradford University.
Tracy also mentioned that Gentry had a 'big heart', was extremely intelligent, and gained confidence from her boyfriend Elvis, who encouraged her to try new things and explore the world.
Christopher Holland, director of The Mighty Roar, the organization that arranged Gentry’s volunteer trip, stated that volunteers were advised against swimming at night for safety reasons.
The senior coroner, Martin Fleming, concluded that Gentry's death was the result of 'misadventure' and her friends were 'overwhelmed' by the current.
It was also noted that there was no evidence Gentry had more than a few drinks before going to the water.
Following Gentry’s passing, a Go Fund Me page described her as a 'bright, smiley, and caring individual' and has raised over £4,500 from 150 people to support her family.
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