Family’s ‘torment’ over tragedy report
COURT: Reports that three young British tourists were acting recklessly before they died in a Vietnam waterfall have caused “huge torment” for their families, a coroner has said.
Sisters Izzy Squire, 19, and Beth Anderson, 24, died with friend Christian Sloan, 24, while taking part in a day trip in the Dalanla waterfalls.
REPORTS THAT three young British tourists were acting recklessly before they died in a Vietnam waterfall have caused “huge torment” for their families, a coroner has said.
Sisters Izzy Squire, 19, and Beth Anderson, 24, died with friend Christian Sloan, 24, were killed while taking part in a day trip in the Dalanla waterfalls area of the south-east Asian country in February 2016.
An inquest into their deaths was held in Sheffield yesterday but senior coroner Chris Dorries decided at the end of the hearing that he will deliver his conclusion next month.
Mr Dorries heard how Miss Squire and Miss Anderson, both from Sheffield, and Mr Sloan, from Deal, Kent, had booked an “easy” trekking trip which included a water-sliding activity in a popular tourist spot.
The coroner heard that the two sisters and their friends had worn life jackets and helmets as they slid head first down a natural water slide before ending up in a 6ft pool.
Instead of exiting the pool, the trio disappeared over the next tier of the river complex and died when they went over a 50ft high waterfall.
The inquest heard how their guide, Dang Van Si, claimed to have shouted a warning to them, but this was contradicted by a range of witnesses, also taking part in the activity, who were found through a Facebook appeal by Mr Sloan’s family.
Video footage taken by the next person down the slide was shown in court along with photographs taken by witnesses who followed.
Detective Constable Andrew Stephanek said the evidence South Yorkshire Police had received from Vietnamese authorities left many unanswered questions about the safety of the area and Mr Si’s role.
However, documents which were read to the court appeared to show the trekking firm he was working for had admitted a series of safety failings.
Det Con Stephanek agreed with the coroner who asked him: “There is no suggestion at all in the investigation that you have put together from information given by a number of people that Christian, Beth and Izzy were doing anything wrong being in the area that they were?”
The coroner assured the families he will have more to say when he delivers in his conclusions about the reports from Vietnam that suggested Miss Squire, Miss Anderson and Mr Sloan had been acting recklessly.
Det Con Stephanek said that he had examined a large quantity of online comments from the time of the tragedy alleging dangerous behaviour. He said: “I don’t remember seeing any one of them that was actually accurate.”
Reflecting on the online comments, Mr Dorries said: “That was, no doubt, a huge torment for the families.”
Last week, Miss Squire and Miss Anderson’s parents said they were confident the inquest would finally establish that the trio were doing nothing dangerous and were taking part in what they thought was a tame activity.
David Squire said: “The inquest is a milestone in the sense that the funeral was a milestone, their birthdays every year are a milestone and Christmas is a milestone, but they’re milestones not closures.
“It’s about the truth coming out and at least admittance of any failings that were there.”
Mr Squire attended the hearing along with other family members and the loved ones of Miss Anderson and Mr Sloan.
Mr Dorries told them that he would deliver his conclusion on March 19 at 9am.
It’s about the truth coming out and at least admittance of failings. Bereaved parent David Squire