PFD report

Sandra Curran · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 9 Oct 2023•Manchester South

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
2

Named on the report

Responses found
2

Of 2 recipients

Stated actions
5

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised1

  1. Lack of warnings about local sea conditions, swimming risks and risk mitigation for weak swimmers
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable pre-activity safety information for organised water activities
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.4

  1. Action

    Continue the Travel Aware campaign prompting British nationals to read destination advice and subscribe to travel alerts.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 30 October 2023.
  2. Action

    Enhance cooperation with the Royal Life Saving Society and support water-safety information on its website during the summer holiday season.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 30 October 2023.
  3. Action

    Enhance Travel Advice on swimming safety by linking to the Royal Life Saving Society’s Water Safety on Holiday guidance.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 30 October 2023.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of warnings about local sea conditions, swimming risks and risk mitigation for weak swimmers

Wider context from the report

“The inquest heard the Mrs Curran had booked her holiday through a UK Tour operator. Mrs Curran was not a strong swimmer and that she was unaware of the risks that swimming/snorkelling in the sea off the coast of Malta could present. No warnings were given in the welcome information/briefing about the challenge the sea around the coast in Malta could present to a weak swimmer. Previously when she had snorkelled it had been in far easier conditions where the risks of strong currents had not been present. The evidence given by her family at the inquest was that had her tour operator highlighted the need for caution Mrs Curran would not have snorkelled alone in the area where she drowned. A more proactive approach by UK tour operators highlighting the risk of getting into difficulties and how to mitigate them would reduce the risk of further deaths in circumstances such as Mrs Curran’s. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable pre-activity safety information for organised water activities.

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Continue the Travel Aware campaign prompting British nationals to read destination advice and subscribe to travel alerts.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The FCDO’s established public-facing Travel Aware communications campaign will continue to prompt British nationals who are planning to travel abroad to read the latest FCDO travel advice for their destination and to sign up for e-mail alerts.”

Source location

Response from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Page 2 · response
Published 30 October 2023

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Enhance cooperation with the Royal Life Saving Society and support water-safety information on its website during the summer holiday season.

Verbatim wording from the response

“We work closely with foreign governments, partners in the travel industry and others to reduce the risks to British people when they travel abroad. This year we enhanced our cooperation with the Royal Life Saving Society and worked with them on the water safety information appearing on their website during the summer holiday season. We will continue to work with ABTA and the travel industry and fully endorse efforts to make their customers aware of the risks they may face during travel.”

Source location

Response from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Page 3 · response
Published 30 October 2023

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Enhance Travel Advice on swimming safety by linking to the Royal Life Saving Society’s Water Safety on Holiday guidance.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In light of your report, we have considered further our advice on water risks in Malta:”

Source location

Response from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Page 2 · response
Published 30 October 2023

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Continue disseminating swim-safety guidance through ABTA websites, social-media campaigns, and member and stakeholder channels.

Verbatim wording from the response

“ABTA runs a number of consumer campaigns where evidence from our members has highlighted that increased awareness on particular issues is important. We have been raising the importance of swim safety to consumers for over 20 years, and have been running a dedicated campaign on swim safety for around 10 years.”

Source location

Response from ABTA
Page 2 · response
Published 30 October 2023

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Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.1

  1. 1

    Continue working with ABTA and the travel industry to raise customers’ awareness of travel-related risks.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 30 October 2023.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Continue working with ABTA and the travel industry to raise customers’ awareness of travel-related risks.

Verbatim wording from the response

“We work closely with foreign governments, partners in the travel industry and others to reduce the risks to British people when they travel abroad. This year we enhanced our cooperation with the Royal Life Saving Society and worked with them on the water safety information appearing on their website during the summer holiday season. We will continue to work with ABTA and the travel industry and fully endorse efforts to make their customers aware of the risks they may face during travel.”

Source location

Response from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Page 3 · response
Published 30 October 2023

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026