Swan River inquest: officer becomes emotional during testimony, says 'nothing more could be done'

The Swan River coronial inquest into the drowning deaths of two boys in 2018 has heard harrowing testimony from the TRG officer who attempted to save the two teenage boys .

Trisjack Simpson and Chris Drage, who both lost their lives in the Swan River after being chased by police. Source: Supplied

The officer, who can’t be named, became visibly distressed and emotional as he told the hearing about his desperate attempts to save the two teenage boys. 

16-year-old Christopher Drage and 17-year-old Trisjack Simpson-Ninyette drowned in September 2018 when they attempted to flee from police in Marylands, Perth.

The officer, who can only be referred to as Operator 65, described how he rushed into the cold river during the 'most challenging' conditions he has seen. 

Becoming emotional, the officer broke down as he tearfully told the court how he saw the boys clearly struggling in the water, and tried to reach them before they were pulled under.

Operator 65 told the court that when he reached the surviving boy, the young man was distressed, in shock and crying out to his friends that he loved them.

He told the court he believed that there was nothing else the attending uniformed officers could have done to save the boys, due to the dangerous conditions of the river.

The inquest is examining the actions of the police leading up to the incident, including the relationship more broadly between WA police and Aboriginal children.