A man drowned trying to save his dog after he pretended to throw a ball into the sea, an inquest heard.
Nicholas Warren’s six-month-old Labrador ran into the sea after an imaginary ball, and was swept out by currents.
The 57-year-old tried to save his beloved black Lab puppy, but tragically both of them died.
The pre-inquest review at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court heard how he died on a walk in Kingsdown, Kent, with his partner, Deborah Douglas, in November.
It has been questioned whether or not an attempt was made to resuscitate him, and why the rescue call was taken from the Coastguard’s new base at Fareham in Hampshire, not the local Dover station.
At the pre-inquest review, heard by coroner Alan Blunsdon, Jacques Howell, barrister for South East Coast Ambulance Service, said: “There is no evidence to say whether or not Mr Warren was saveable and that’s an important part of the inquest.
“It seems to me there is a gap in the evidence.”
Mr Warren’s daughters, Lisa Rogers, 31, and Shanise Warren, 22, who live in Dover, were present at the hearing into his death, on November 29 last year.
Lisa said: “There is no cardio review.
“It’s possible that the review from the cardiologist could point out, hour by hour, whether the way it was dealt with did cause it or if it could have been avoided.”
Sunyana Sharma, barrister for the coastguard, said a full pathologist report should help to answer many of these questions.
She also said a number of issues had been raised about what should have been done and whether resuscitation took place.
The coroner heard there were contradictions about whether this happened, but a report from one of the paramedics claimed resuscitation did take place, both with the RNLI and on the helicopter.
The rescue attempt of Mr Warren involved the ambulance service, Walmer RNLI, the Coastguard and a contractor for the coastguard Bristow, which runs search and rescue helicopters.
Christopher Langley, barrister for Bristow Helicopters, said he could provide a statement about the treatment provided by crew on the helicopter.
The helicopter then took Nicholas to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, where he later died.
The full hearing will take place later this year and is expected to last at least five days.
