A coroner released his findings into the deaths of an elderly couple after they traveled through a flooded road in their car in Liverpool, England, more than two years ago. The tragedy occurred on Aug. 26, 2023, when Merseyside Police were notified over concerns for the safety of two people whose black Mercedes Class 180 drove into a flooded area on Queens Drive, between North Mossley Hill Road and Dovedale Road, per a police press statement at the time. Authorities later found the two people and took them to a hospital where they were pronounced deceased, Merseyside Police said in an update. The victims were identified by police as husband and wife Philip Marco, 77, and Elaine Marco, 75. “We are devastated and heartbroken by the sudden loss of Elaine and Philip Marco,” the couple’s family said in a statement shared with police two days after the incident. “They were much loved parents to four children and 10 grandchildren. The family are arriving overseas from America and Australia to mourn their loss,” the statement continued. “They were due to celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary next week and our only comfort is knowing that they were together to the very end,” their loved ones concluded. An inquest into the couple’s deaths was held at Liverpool & Wirral Coroner’s Court and began on Nov. 17. In his findings, which were shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, Nov. 25, senior coroner André Rebello stated in a record of inquest that the medical cause of death for Philip Marco was “drowning with severe ischaemic heart disease.” He also concluded that the medical cause of death for Elaine Marco was “drowning.” The coroner’s findings stated that on the day of the incident, Philip drove the Mercedes and Elaine was in the front passenger seat. It was raining very heavily, and the couple’s vehicle went through standing rainwater on the road. “It is likely that a bow wave in front of the car will have caused water to be drawn into the vehicle’s air intake system causing the engine to hydrolock,” the report stated. “This will have prevented the car from being driven.” “It is more likely than not that another vehicle which entered this localised flood from the other direction will have created another bow wave and that this added turbulence will have contributed to stopping the engine of the Mercedes from working, this stranded both occupants,” the findings added. The area had been known for regular flooding for many years, but there was no warning signage or barriers until after the tragedy involving the Marcos, the BBC reported. The record of the inquest said there were four flood-related incidents at the location in 2023. “There was always a risk to life due to flooding when there was very heavy rainfall in this location since the arterial road was created,” coroner Rebello wrote in the report. “The risk has increased with urban development and because of the more adverse precipitation which is likely to be a consequence of climate change over the decades. The delay in introducing signage and barriers is found to be a failure, as such measures are likely to forewarn drivers of the risks, including the risk to life.” The report also mentioned the heroism of firefighters who “risked their lives” in trying to save the couple. It said that Elaine was found face down in the water and transported to Royal Liverpool University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Philip, according to the findings, was found underwater lying towards the rear of the Mercedes. He was later pronounced deceased at the same hospital. Rebello concluded the deaths as “misadventure” as the vehicle drove through torrential rain into standing water, causing the engine to stop, leaving the car stranded. “The rain had then overwhelmed the gullies and combined sewer, flooding the road and submerging vehicle; in part caused by the absence of flood warning signage and a failure of the risk to life being recognised,” Rebello wrote. Outside of the coroner’s court, Philip and Elaine’s family issued a statement, claiming that their loved ones’ deaths were “completely avoidable” and that the Liverpool City Council “carries the ultimate responsibility,” Liverpool Echo reported on Friday, Nov. 21 “They [Philip and Elaine] were warm, loving people, devoted parents and grandparents and this came through clearly in the evidence shared during the proceedings,” the Marco family statement read. “At the inquest, it was deeply disappointing to hear the council maintain they had done everything they reasonably could at the time, and to hear them accept no responsibility at all,” the family added, per Liverpool Echo. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. “Their ongoing refusal to acknowledge responsibility for what happened has only deepened our grief,” the family also stated.
https://people.com/coroner-shares-findings-about-couple-who-died-in-flooding-days-before-their-54th-wedding-anniversary-11857210
Cause of Death Revealed for Couple Who Died in Flooding Days Before Their 54th Wedding Anniversary
