It is deadly
CORONER’S WARNING AFTER CRIB GOCH FALL DEATH OF WALKER, 47
TRIBUTES have been paid to an adored family man who died after falling from Snowdon’s “knife-edge” ridge.
Rahis Nawaz Khan, 47, of Beeches Road, Rowley Regis, West Midlands, died after he fell from Crib Goch on July 24, 2021.
Mr Khan had been out hiking with a group of 13 family and friends when the incident occurred.
The inquest into his death took place this week in Caernarfon.
It heard that Mr Khan sustained multiple injuries in the fall including a deep laceration to the back of his scalp and “a number of boney injuries”.
The haulier had been on his way down at around 7pm with two other men from the group when he slipped and fell around 90ft.
One of the men, Amam Raja, made his way to a nearby house to call for help after seeing that Mr Khan had slipped and was falling “as if he were going down a slide”.
Giving evidence during the hearing, Mr Raja said: “I was in a panic. I didn’t know what to do.
“I got my phone out but had no reception on my phone.
“I saw a house at the bottom in the distance so went to the house to get help. I didn’t think his injuries would have been to that extent.
“He was an experienced walker. In our group, he was the leader.”
The emergency services were called to the scene, but Mr Khan went into cardiac arrest and died on board the Coastguard helicopter on his way to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
His family described Mr Khan as an experienced walker who had climbed Snowdon once before.
His brother, Nawaz Khan, also said he would go out walking every Sunday and would sometimes be out for up to six hours at a time.
In a statement read out during the hearing, his brother Nawaz Khan, who was also out walking with him the day he died, said: “Rahis was a family man and loved his kids to bits.
“He was joined at the hip with his son. He was competitive and I can see that in his son now, especially in football. He was a lovely guy and always the first person to help and always very light-hearted.
“If you didn’t know him, he would always be able to make conversation.
“A month before his passing, he came over to see me and we went to spend time on the east coast at the beach. He said it was probably the best time he had ever had on the beach.
“He was a big kid at heart. Kids adored him. He broke barriers with them by being a big kid with them. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.”
Concluding that Mr Khan had died as a result of an accident, acting senior coroner Katie Sutherland also issued a warning regarding the dangers of Crib Goch.
She said: “After hearing of Mr Khan’s death I ordered an external examination and toxicology only. There was no post mortem carried out internally.
“Upon examination, there were a number of boney injuries sustained across the body and a deep laceration at the back of the scalp, with some further musculoskeletal injuries identified.
“No alcohol or drugs were detected in the blood or urine.
“A provisional cause of death was given as multiple injuries due to a fall from height.
“Mr Khan had been walking up Snowdon with family and friends when, whilst descending via Crib Goch, he has fallen and slid down.
“Despite best efforts of those around him and the emergency services he was declared deceased on the way to the hospital in the search and result helicopter.
“Ascending and descending Snowdon, and particularly Crib Goch, carries a risk. It is a very dangerous part of the mountain range.
“This particular area in question, even for most experienced walkers, can be extremely dangerous and sadly Mr Khan is another example that regularly people suffer serious injuries and lose their lives on Snowdon.
“It goes to show again and acts as a reminder to us how dangerous an area it can be even for the most experienced.
“Mr Khan had his life ahead of him and it is evident to me that he will be truly missed.”