Witnesses tell of hiker's fatal fall

A HIKER slipped and fell off a treacherous Eryri mountain, an inquest heard last week.

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The final moments of Maria Eftimova's life were recounted by witnesses at the hearing into her death on Tryfan. One told how the 28-year-old fell off the rockface and flew over him to a ledge below and he "froze".

Another said she was "in freefall."

It is understood she fell some 65ft and died from severe head injuries.

Kate Robertson, senior coroner for North West Wales, concluded at a Caernarfon hearing that the death of Ms Eftimova (pictured), who was a civil engineer, on February 22 this year was accidental.

The inquest heard Ms Eftimova, who was born in Bulgaria, was a British citizen. She had graduated from the University of Salford and lived in St Helens.

Fellow hiker Harry Jones said in a statement he joined a group of 20 fellow enthusiasts and they set off up Tryfan at 9am that day. During the hike they split up, with Mr Jones and Maria among seven of the hikers taking a harder route to the summit.