An inquest has been opened into the death of a teenage charity volunteer from Canterbury who died after being swept out to sea with a friend while on a trip of a lifetime.

Alice Barnett, 19, was walking along a beach with Summer Robertson, 21, when they were overpowered by fierce currents on a picturesque beach.

The pair were enjoying the last few days of a 10-week charity adventure at a remote camping resort and had gone for a walk with three other Brits when the tragedy occurred.

An inquest into their deaths was opened today at Shire Hall, in Shrewsbury, and adjourned until April so that the coroner can gather the vital evidence from South Africa where the pair died.

Alice and Summer had just finished teaching special needs children and helping to educate young people about drugs, alcohol and AIDS as part of a volunteering trip with the charity Lattitude Global Volunteering.

The pair were enjoying their last few days in the country before flying home when it is believed they went for a celebratory evening walk with their friends along a beach in Woody Cape, on the south coast of the country, about 100km from Port Elizabeth.

However they quickly got into trouble in the turbulent coastal waters, known for their strong tides and currents.

A frantic rescue operation was launched by volunteer lifeguards at a surfing tournament taking place at the resort, who responded to the youngsters' desperate cries for help, and three of the five were saved from certain death.

However, Summer's body was pulled from the water while Alice's was washed up on the beach a day later.

The incident happened at around 8pm, on Thursday, December 4 and search and rescue volunteers were having dinner when they heard cries for help coming from the beach.

The three survivors, two males and a woman, showed signs of near drowning and were treated by the team’s medics before being transported to hospital for observation for secondary drowning.

Port Alfred police spokesman Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula said: "The three survivors are a 41-year-old man and a male and a female, both 18 years old.

"The body of the deceased found on the beach last night is a 21-year-old woman and the body of the deceased found on the beach on Friday morning is a 19-year-old woman."

The five were among a group of 43 South African and British health volunteers staying together at Woody Cape, 39km west of Kenton-on-Sea.

"NSRI rescue swimmers went into the surf to go to the aid of the five people, reaching them 100 meters out to sea and managing to rescue three safely."

The three traumatised friends received counselling from the Port Elizabeth police psychological services.

The bodies were taken to the Grahamstown mortuary, where a post-mortem was carried out.

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