Paddleboarding Tragedy in Wales: Tour Leader Jailed for Ignoring Deadly River Warnings

How a Paddleboarding Adventure Turned Deadly

Imagine signing up for a day out on the river, trusting an experienced guide, and ending up in a tragedy that could have been avoided. That's what happened on October 30, 2021, in Haverfordwest, Wales, when four people lost their lives on a paddleboarding tour led by Nerys Bethan Lloyd.

The group, made up of friends and outdoor enthusiasts, expected an exciting day exploring the waterways. Instead, they faced fast-moving currents, a dangerous—and unguarded—river weir, and one major problem: The person in charge ignored every safety warning out there. Severe storms had triggered explicit weather alerts and flood warnings. But Lloyd pushed ahead, organizing the trip for her business, Salty Dog Co Ltd, and led the group downstream anyway.

As the group approached the notorious weir on the River Cleddau, things went horribly wrong. The powerful current swept several paddlers over the edge. Within minutes, Paul O’Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers, and Nicola Wheatley found themselves in a deadly situation, unable to escape the turbulence. All four drowned—the same activity meant for fun ended in disaster.

Ignored Warnings, Missed Briefings, and a Fatal Outcome

Lloyd's actions—or lack of them—cost lives. Investigators from Dyfed-Powys Police and the UK Health and Safety Executive quickly found major failures. Lloyd hadn’t just missed a step; she skipped entire chapters of basic safety. There was no safety briefing before heading out. She didn’t mention the weir—one of the river's biggest hazards—or explain how to avoid it. Instead of making a tough call to cancel the event, she carried on as if conditions were ideal.

What’s even more shocking? Lloyd is a former police officer, someone you’d expect to understand risk and responsibility. Yet court records from Swansea Crown Court show she pleaded guilty to everything—four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and a health and safety offense. During sentencing, the judge called out her "persistent and remarkable" failures, stressing that she’d overlooked multiple red flags in the name of business or adventure.

• She ignored severe weather and flood warnings issued the very morning of the trip.
• She failed to check dangerous river conditions or create an emergency plan.
• No one was told about the weir—even though it was well-known to locals as a danger spot.
• There was no proper safety briefing before the tour began.

The deaths weren’t freak accidents. They were entirely avoidable, investigators concluded. Lloyd’s choices exposed her clients to risks they never understood or consented to, all while putting herself in the position of a professional guide—someone people trusted with their lives.

The fallout stretched well beyond the tour group. Outdoor sports organizations across the UK are now pushing for tougher safety regulations and better training requirements for paddleboarding operators. And every time someone signs up for an adventure sport, families want to know: Can we trust those in charge actually want us to come back safe?

Lloyd, now 39, sits behind bars, facing 10 years and six months for her mistakes. For the families of O’Dwyer, Powell, Rogers, and Wheatley, the pain doesn’t fade. Their loved ones set out for a simple day on the river. What they got was a harsh lesson in trust, responsibility, and the real-life cost when safety is an afterthought.