Tragic death of teenager blamed on bad holiday planning
An inquest has blamed bad holiday planning for the death of a 17-year-old schoolboy from Lincolnshire.
The boy fell 1,000 ft down a cliff face last July, while on a walking expedition in the Picos De Europa Mountains in Northern Spain.
The coroner heard that the boy had wandered away from the party and that for 40 minutes he was not noticed to be missing.
He also heard that the party were equipped with only a small scale map and guide book to aid their trip.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death while noting that the expedition had been badly planned.
"It is absolutely clear to me that this location was potentially extremely hazardous and posed a risk of personal injuries to the members," he said.
He also commented that the organisers had not taken into account fully the age and experience of the participants.
"Had an exhaustive risk assessment been carried out that covered personal injuries, this tragedy could have been averted."
As of now, it is not clear whether the boy's family will launch a holiday accident compensation claim or personal injury claim against the organisers.
Updated on 21/05/2010