Pupil died after rucksack strap caught in ski lift, inquest told
A GRAMMAR school pupil died during a school trip to the French Alps when the straps of his backpack became entangled in a ski lift, an inquest heard.
Kieran Brookes was strangled when his backpack became entangled in the mechanism in the Alpine resort of Châtel in February 2011.
The 14-year-old, from Bovey Tracey, Devon, was suspended in the air for around four minutes before he was released. Attempts were made to revive the Torquay Boys’ Grammar School pupil before he was taken to a hospital in Annecy, suffering from a severe brain injury.
He was later transferred to the intensive care unit at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital where he died a month later on March 17. Charlotte Pittocho, a teacher who was on the trip, told the inquest in Exeter that she had not heard anyone – either teachers, ski instructors or ski lift staff – tell people to remove rucksacks from their backs and put them on their laps while on board.
“It was something that was never directly discussed between the teachers and we did not specifically talk to the boys about how to use the lifts,” Mrs Pittocho said. “After the incident I saw there were a number of small signs near to the entrance for the ski lifts about rucksacks. I felt they were easily missed.
“At no point did I see anyone being told to remove their rucksacks and I was wearing mine on my back all day and I was never told to remove it.”
The inquest continues.