Brit mum, 50, drowns in Corfu in front of husband and 16-year-old son

A British mum has drowned in Corfu in front of her husband and 16-year-old son. The mother, 50, and father had been swimming off Roda beach in northern Corfu on Wednesday when bad weather left the couple battling the waves as they tried to reach the shore.

Some local outlets are reporting the strong currents and bad weather made them lose control, while others say they'd been swept out towards a rocky area. The fire service was contacted but despite their best efforts, they couldn't save the mother and she was pulled "unconscious from [the] water", reports the Corfu Press.

The husband sustained minor injuries and after being pulled out, watched on in a state of panic as rescuers tried to save his wife, as did their 16-year-old son.

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An ambulance rushed her to a private clinic, where she was pronounced dead before her body was transferred to Corfu General Hospital, where the son and husband were given first aid and psychological support for shock.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Greece and are in touch with the local authorities."

A post-mortem is expected to be performed so a pathologist can work out whether she was killed by drowning or whether she sustained a fatal blow from the rocks she washed up on.

Earlier this month, a British man died onboard a cruise ship travelling through Corfu.. The 67-year-old man died while on a cruise ship that was flying a Maltese flag, the Corfu Port Authority said in a statement.

The statement read: "In the morning hours today, the Corfu Port Authority was informed of the death of a 67-year-old foreign passenger (British citizen) on a cruise ship flying the Maltese flag in the port of Corfu.

"The body was transferred to the Corfu General Hospital for an autopsy. A preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Corfu Central Port Authority."