Barmouth tragedy: West Midlands man who tried to save the life of two teenagers to be given award

Mahdi Farah, aged 29, from Birmingham, was on a day trip with Yahye Mohamed and Waseem Muflahi when they got into trouble at the Welsh resort.

He attempted to pull them back to the shore but was forced to give up due to cramp in his legs. Four beach wardens, who will also receive awards, then went out to save him.

Sadly, Yahye, 14, and Waseem, 15, drowned and were found several days later.

Now it has been announced that Mr Farah, who lives in Duddeston in Birmingham, will receive a Royal Humane Society testimonial on parchment.

The four wardens, Osian Williams, 20, Samuel Dangerfield, 18, Joshua Thomas Jones, 20, and Marcus Jordan Hewlett, 20, will receive certificates of commendation from the society.

Andrew Chapman, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said: “This was a terrible tragedy. But all those who are to receive awards showed great courage.

“It was a stormy day and there were large powerful waves as well as strong tidal currents. Mr Farah did his best to save the two youths but then had to head back to the shore for help because he was exhausted.

"In the mean time the beach wardens, who were not trained for this sort of incident or expected to help in one should it arise, went into the dangerous waters to help Mr Farah and rescued him.

“All those who are to receive awards did everything they could possibly have done. They richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”

No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the awards which have been made following a recommendation from North Wales Police, but it is expected to take place in the near future.

An inquest last year determined the death of the two teenage boys was accidental.

The pair were on a visit by the Yemeni Association from Smethwick.

Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said at the Caernarfon inquest that the boys had experience of swimming pools ‘but no experience of swimming in surf from an open beach’.

The coroner added: “It’s a classic situation of both active boys going swimming not realising the danger of being caught in surf which would have strong undertows, and due to their lack of experience they drowned.”

In a statement on behalf of the families after the inquest Mr Farah said the boys were close friends from a close-knit Muslim community in Birmingham.

The families had been devastated and there had been an impact on the community.

The statement said: “Both families are still trying to come to terms with this tragic loss. They would like to thank everyone who was involved in the rescue attempt and the aftercare following this incident.”