10:50am Thursday 2nd September 2010
By Richard Vernalls
A LITHUANIAN labourer died after diving off a river bridge and hitting the rocky bed.
Audrius Rajackas went to picnic with a group of friends on a hot summer’s evening and decided to go for a swim in the river Avon near Nafford Lock at Birlingham, near Pershore.
While the others watched from the riverbank, the 25-year-old climbed on to a footbridge before diving into the water below.
Worcestershire coroner Geraint Williams recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Rajackas, of Waterside, Evesham, died as a result of shock and bleeding from multiple injuries suffered as he plunged into the water on Saturday, June 12.
Blood tests revealed the level of alcohol in his system was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.
His body was recovered by a police dive team two days after he disappeared under water.
At Worcestershire Coroner’s Court yesterday, one of the people at the picnic and Rajackas’ flatmate Kristina Lesnikauskaite said Rajackas was “a good man” but was prone to dark moods.
A group of seven men and women, including Rajackas’ girlfriend Lina Murauskaite, went to find a spot at the riverside as planned but “on that day something had happened to him and he was quite upset,” according to Miss Lesnikauskaite.
She said he had also spoken to her boyfriend – also present – in private about “a quiet death” adding he was the type of person who “always acted like a happy person and wouldn’t talk about his bad moods.”
After swimming for a period, Rajackas climbed the bridge to dive but when another group member went to follow he warned the man off saying “don’t go there because there are many stones in the water.”
As he climbed on the bridge balustrade he was laughing but the group shouted for him not to jump.
He did anyway with Miss Lesnikauskaite saying she wasn’t sure if he had heard their warnings.
When he did not surface, they rushed to a nearby house and raised the alarm.
His 20-year-old flatmate said Rajackas had moved to Evesham three years ago to find work and would be “missed terribly”.
She added: “I still remember the moment it happened every week.
“To start with it wasn’t comfortable to be in the flat and him not be there, but time has passed.
“I’m relieved the whole thing is over now.
“We will remember him.”
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