Missing Englishwoman Nicola Bulley may have drowned within seconds of stepping into the cold river where her body was found, an inquest into her death has heard, reports RTE.
Professor Michael Tipton, the world’s drowning expert, said Ms Bulley would become a “fairly rapid incapacitation” upon entering the River Wyre on the morning of January 27.
Shravan was told it might take a few seconds before he starts to lose consciousness.
Ms Bulley went missing on January 27 after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school after taking her dog for a walk along the river at St Michael’s in Lancashire, reports RTE.
Her cell phone, still connected to the work team’s conversation, was found on a bench overlooking the water
Her body was found on February 19 in the River Wyre, about a mile from the bench.
Professor Tipton said he agreed with Home Office pathologist Alison Armour, who performed the autopsy and concluded that Ms Bulley had drowned.
He said the finding of water in Ms. Armour’s stomach and lungs was consistent with the “gasp response” underwater, with fluid entering the body’s organs, which he said occurs in two-thirds of drowning victims.
Professor Tipton said: “We estimate the temperature would have been around 3C to 5C (in the river) so there would be a particularly powerful cold-shock response,” reports RTE.
Pathologist Ms Armor said evidence of water in Ms Bulley’s lungs and stomach led her to conclude that the cause of death was drowning and that Ms Bulley was alive when she entered the water – there was no “third party” involved.
Ms Bulley, a mortgage adviser, was immediately declared a ‘high risk’ missing person when she disappeared, prompting a massive search operation by police involving hundreds of local volunteers and intense media and public attention, reports RTE.
As the days wore on, online speculation continued, with Lancashire Police revealing that Mrs Bulley had struggled with alcohol and perimenopause.
Shortly before the opening of the inquest, Coroner Adeli spoke of the social media controversy surrounding Ms Bulley’s death.
He said: “At the centre of this inquest are two children who have lost their mother, a partner and parents who have lost a daughter,” reports RTE.
The inquest continues.
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