A young mountain climber ‘somersaulted’ to his death in front of horrified friends after a rock he was holding gave way, an inquest heard.
Jack Carne, 23, fell backwards when the rock supporting him broke loose – as his friends Matthew Belcher and Brandon Smith watched in disbelief.
The three mountain walkers from Barnsley were climbing in Snowdonia on February 4 when the tragedy happened between the Gribin Ridge to Glyder Fawr.
In a statement read at the inquest, Jack’s father Richard Carne said his son loved outdoor activities and took necessary precautions.
‘He wouldn’t do anything he didn’t think it was safe to do,’ he said.
Mr Belcher said his friend ‘somersaulted’ down the mountain and he could see his rucksack about 50metres down, but there was no answer when he called out to him.
Jack Carne, 23, (right) fell backwards when the rock supporting him broke loose – as his friends Matthew Belcher and Brandon Smith watched in disbelief
The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team reached the friends and rescued them. Jack’s body was found lower down the rock face
The three mountain walkers from Barnsley were climbing in Snowdonia on February 4 when the tragedy happened between the Gribin Ridge to Glyder Fawr
The trio, who had been friends since their schooldays, began mountain walking during lockdown and would visit Snowdonia or Yorkshire every few weeks. They had also been up Ben Nevis.
Mr Belcher said in a statement that they set off from Ogwen Cottage at about 5pm and were going to camp at a familiar spot on Glyder Fawr.
They put on their wet weather clothes when it started drizzling and were close to the summit. Mr Belcher said he was about 10metres above Jack when he saw the rock he was holding come away, causing him to fall backwards.
‘His momentum picked up and he fell over and over,’ he said.
Jack’s father Richard Carne said his 23-year-old son loved outdoor activities and took necessary precautions
The trio began mountain walking during lockdown and would visit Snowdonia or Yorkshire every few weeks
His long-term girlfriend Annis Birks described him as a ‘beautiful boy’ and said they were ‘soulmates for ever and ever’
Mr Smith dialled 999 and after being told to stay where they were they waited for four hours, becoming increasingly cold and wet until members of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team reached them.
They found Jack’s rucksack 50metres below the spot from where he had fallen, and his body was lower down the rock face.
His body was not recovered until the following day because of poor weather conditions, and a post-mortem examination revealed he died of multiple crush injuries.
In his statement Mr Smith praised the efforts of the ‘amazing’ rescue team, adding that more than £8,000 had been raised for the voluntary organisation in memory of Jack.
Recording a conclusion of accidental death, John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, described it as ‘an incredibly sad loss’, adding: ‘It is very clear to me that this was something he loved and took no risks in relation to it.’
Jack left school at 16 to become an apprentice bricklayer. He worked for CLS New Homes and after his death the company said ‘he had charm, charisma and always had a smile on his face.’
His long-term girlfriend Annis Birks described him as a ‘beautiful boy’ and said they were ‘soulmates for ever and ever’.
Rescuers said he fell more than 600feet.
