A kayaker died in Argentina when he capsized as he holidayed with his girlfriend in South America, a Nottingham inquest heard.
Charlotte Inman had described the conditions as "mildly choppy" as she and her partner, British national Thomas David Mckendrick-Warden, paddled in separate kayaks.
As they started the early-morning crossing near Isla Victoria, the weather became considerably worse in a short space of time and, due to the wind, they changed to single file.
Charlotte's statement, read at the inquest into Thomas's death, revealed she was two metres ahead and continued to check back as the weather got "progressively worse, until when I looked back and saw Thomas's kayak capsized".
Thomas activated his life jacket as his kayak had been blown too far away from him. Charlotte tried to paddle but the wind pushed her further away.
She made the decision to paddle to shore "as quickly as I could". Thomas was still afloat when she set off.
Emergency services were contacted by a man who worked for a speed boat owner and then Charlotte went out in the boat to search for Thomas.
Charlotte returned to shore because she was hypothermic.
"They searched for another hour without me and they did not find Tom," said her statement, read by assistant coroner Jonathan Straw.
The following day police contacted her and told her a body had washed up.
Thomas died due to cardiac respiratory arrest as a consequence of hypothermia.
The coroner began the virtual hearing, attended by family members, Charlotte and close friends of Thomas. saying "we are dealing with an unusual tragic death".
Thomas, 33, of Kendal, Cumbria, died on January 28 this year - the date he was found by the searching authorities and pronounced dead.
The couple had done a number of these trips in the past. This time they were travelling down to South America by cycling, walking and kayaking.
Charlotte, his long-term partner of about six years, was on holiday with him at the time of "this unfortunate accident", said Mr Straw.
"That in essence is the evidence in this terribly sad case," said Mr Straw. "These is no issue Thomas had any underlying health conditions. I have information from his GP in Cumbria. It demonstrates, as we all know, Thomas was a very fit, healthy, young man at the time of his death".
His conclusion was accident/misadventure.
