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23
May 2021
A canoeing instructor working in Ripley has said deaths while canoeing, like the one in the Harrogate district on Friday, are rare.
North Yorkshire Police reported a man had died in the River Ure, near West Tanfield, after falling out of a canoe.
Dan Miller has 15 years' experience as a paddler and works as a canoeing instructor in Ripley. He said he thought fatal accidents were uncommon, especially among experienced canoeists.
Mr Miller is one of the directors at Live For Today, based at Ripley Castle, which offers canoeing trips on the castle's lake. He said safety is a top priority for all paddlers and these were the main things to consider:
Mr Miller urged people to attend a workshop with a club or water activity company before going out on the water.
Data from the Water Incident Database show that there were 254 deaths in UK waters from accidental drownings in 2020 across inland and coastal locations.
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