A CORONER has issued a stark warning on the dangers of swimming while intoxicated, following an inquest into the death of a man who drowned off the Dorset coast last summer.

Moldova-born Vadim Sirghii, aged 26, of Hounslow, Middlesex, had been visiting Man O' War beach, Durdle Door, with family and friends when the tragedy unfolded on June 21, last year.

The bartender, who worked at The Shard, London, had swum out 25-metres to a rock shortly after arriving at the beach around 4.30pm.

His brother Victor Sirghii, who attended the inquest at Dorset Coroner's Court, Bournemouth Town Hall, on Tuesday, May 4, recalled watching Vadim from the shore, as he appeared to get into difficulties after being hit by waves.

In a statement read to court by coroner Brendan Allen, Victor said his brother raised an arm than sank beneath the waves.

Then, according to his brother, he momentarily surfaced before raising his arm once more and disappearing beneath the water.

Victor said: "Vadim went back under the water and he didn't reappear.

"We stayed at the beach until the boats and the helicopter came, but Vadim could not be found."

Police divers recovered his body two days later and a subsequent post mortem examination confirmed cause of death as drowning.

However, blood samples taken for analysis showed an ethanol reading of 278 milligrams per 100 millilitres, a level, according to the pathologist, consistent with 'serious intoxication resulting in extreme drunkenness, stupor, impaired consciousness, reduced reflexes, repressed respiration'.

After recording a conclusion of accidental death and paying his condolences to Victor and Vadim's wider family and friends, Mr Allen said: "It is important that I give a warning about the dangers of swimming in the sea after having consumed alcohol.

"With the summer season coming up, perhaps this is a timely reminder of the dangers associated with swimming whilst intoxicated.

"From the evidence I have heard Vadim Serghii was fit and well with no health concerns.

"From the analysis of his blood he was intoxicated when he went into the water on June 21.

"Swimming whilst intoxicated significantly increases the risks of coming to harm.

"I hope that Vadim Serghii's tragic death at a very young age serves as a warning to others of the dangers associated of swimming while intoxicated."

Earlier the hearing Mr Allen stressed that he was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the medical cause of death was drowning.

"That is, in my view, against a background of intoxication through alcohol, rather than intoxication through alcohol being a direct cause of drowning," said Mr Allen.

"The alcohol intoxication did not cause drowning, it was Mr Sirghii breathing water and getting into difficulties that caused drowning."