Witnesses tell of their horror at hiker's fatal fall

TRAGIC 28-YEAR-OLD MARIA HAD 'INSATIABLE THIRST FOR LIFE AND EXPLORING OUR WORLD'S BEAUTY'

- By DAVID POWELL Daily Post Reporter [e-mail]

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

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, 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. The rest took an easier route.

He said: “We travelled in single file, moving from ledge to ledge, once the person in front had vacated it.”

A hiker called Neil Oakes was ahead, followed by Maria, and then Mr Jones at the back.