Her husband said she was a ‘good swimmer’
16:00, 08 Apr 2026Updated 16:13, 08 Apr 2026
A view from Bedruthan Steps towards Diggory’s Island (Image: Lisa MacLeod)
A sporty mum and strong swimmer drowned while swimming at a notoriously dangerous beach in Cornwall, an inquest has heard.
Anja Wolf was 53 when she died at Porthcothan Bay on the north coast on August 10 last year.
An inquest into her death held at Cornwall Coroner’s Court on Tuesday (April 7) heard how the mum-of-one and her husband had travelled to Cornwall from Germany that week, bringing their bikes with them to explore various spots along the Cornish coast.
The couple, who regularly skied, hiked and cycled together, had already been in the sea three times during their trip, with Anja’s husband Johannes Wolf describing his wife as a “good swimmer” who was used to cold water.
He said that on the morning of August 10 they had been to a church service together before preparing their lunch and cycling from Porthcothan to the coast path near Diggory’s Island – an area known locally for having strong rip currents and tidal cut off.
Johannes told the hearing in Truro that he had been to the area with his family before and they weren’t aware of any warning signs about swimming in the water.
He said he told Anja he wanted to go for a swim, but that she suggested they didn’t need to go together.
He said he then saw Anja walk towards Bedruthan Steps and got in the water on his own, swimming for around 20 minutes. When he got out, however, he wasn’t able to see his wife.
Johannes said he walked towards Bedruthan Steps to try to find her before heading back to their car while calling and messaging her.
In the meantime, a witness on the beach said he had seen a woman swimming on her own near Diggory’s Island at around 3pm.
The inquest was told how the island has two tunnels running through it, one of which fills up completely at high tide.
While sitting on some rocks nearby, the witness saw the woman go into the water, entering through the smaller tunnel and swimming for around 10 to 15 minutes.
He noted that although the tide was coming in and the sea was quite rough, the woman was not showing any signs of distress and her head was above the water.
It was only when he was getting up to leave that he was made aware a woman’s body had been found.
The coastguard was alerted and Anja’s body was pulled from the water in what was described as a recovery operation. She was transported to Newquay Lifeboat Station and was pronounced dead at 5pm.
The primary cause of Anja’s death was recorded as drowning and police confirmed there was no evidence of any third party involvement.
Assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isle of Scilly Emma Hillson said: “On the evidence I have heard it is more likely than not that Anja, having entered the water for a swim, came into difficulty as a result of rough sea, an incoming tide and the location of where she was swimming.”
She accepted the pathologist’s cause of death and added that Anja died “most likely due to drowning while swimming in the sea near Diggory’s Island in difficult conditions and during an incoming tide”.
The coroner recorded a conclusion of misadventure.
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