The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Adventurer’s Fife death ruled to be accidental
Man, 26, suffered multiple injuries after he lost his footing
An adventurer who plunged to his death from a cliff whilst on a climbing expedition in Fife died accidentally, an inquest hearing lasting just 10 minutes has found.
Environmental scientist Sam Carr, 26, is thought to have lost his footing and fallen while with a friend at Hawkcraig Point in Aberdour. He suffered multiple injuries and died shortly afterwards.
After the July 18 tragedy, it emerged other climbers had had to abandon their ascent of the same cliff hours before after claiming they were “pelted with bottles”.
A report was later prepared for the procurator fiscal which found Mr Carr’s climbing equipment had no defects but his family said they are still unaware of what happened and had been unable to speak to the main unnamed witness.
At the hearing in Preston, coroner Richard Taylor recorded a conclusion of accidental death without any witnesses being called or statements read out.
Mr Taylor said: “Sam was an expert climber and he was out climbing with a friend. It was a lovely day and his friend said that Sam tripped and lost his footing.
“The family wanted to know if the climbing equipment was checked and Scottish police reassured that it was.
“The equipment was examined by the officer and no defects were found which could have contributed to his death.”
Mr Carr, who had worked for Anglian Water, was born in Garstang near Preston but moved to Edinburgh.
A Justgiving page set up following his death said: “Sam lived and worked in Edinburgh, and loved the opportunity it gave him to be outdoors.
“It was the perfect place for Sam, and he considered Scotland to be his adopted home.
“Sam died in a climbing accident, doing what he loved and what
Sam died in a climbing accident, doing what he loved
made him feel most alive.
“Sam always looked forward and was forever planning for his next adventure, be it climbing rocks, hiking mountains or cycling miles and miles.”
Prior to his death, climbers had reported on an online forum that Hawkcraig was “raining bottles”, with thousands having flocked to the area to make the most of the sunshine.
Reports said Police Scotland had no evidence to suggest projectiles were being thrown.
A fundraising campaign in Mr Carr’s name raised £8,800 in aid of the Scottish Mountain Rescue Service.