A coroner has ruled that a 21-year-old man who drowned off the coast of Aldeburgh did not intend to die.

A search was called in Aldeburgh in September last year for Zachary Shaw, from Royston in Hertfordshire, who had been holidaying in the seaside town with friends.

On Friday, those gathered at Suffolk Coroners’ Court were told that Mr Shaw knew the area well, having holidayed there with his family many times in the past.

In a family background statement read to the court by coroner Darren Stewart OBE, the court heard that Mr Shaw was a treasured eldest son. 

He was an independent-minded man who “always marched to his own tune”. 

After achieving the GCSE grades he needed to study business at college, Mr Shaw had been working as an online retailer, combining the skills he had learned with his love of fashion. 

The court heard that Mr Shaw and his friends had arrived in Aldeburgh on September 17. 

On September 20, a witness had seen Mr Shaw sunbathing on the beach at about 1.15pm. When they returned around 30 minutes later, Mr Shaw was nowhere to be seen.

The court heard that Mr Shaw’s parents had received a message from him, saying that he was planning to go for a swim, about 15 to 20 minutes before he is believed to have entered the water.

The police and coastguard were called after Mr Shaw failed to return. The waves that day were described as being between 10 to 18 feet high, with conditions not suitable for swimming. 

Mr Shaw’s death was confirmed seven days later, when his body was discovered on the beach by a member of the public.

A post-mortem examination showed that he had drowned, while a toxicology report revealed that he had no alcohol or drugs in his system.

Mr Stewart recorded a conclusion of misadventure. 

Having heard that Mr Shaw was a “strong swimmer” and knew the beaches of Aldeburgh, he found that it was likely that Mr Shaw had misjudged quite how unsafe it was to enter the sea that day.

He ended proceedings by offering his own sincere condolences to Mr Shaw’s family.