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Waterfall deaths 'were accidents' Falls deaths 'tragic accidents'
(41 minutes later)
Drink and drugs may have been a factor in "tragic accidents" when a man fell at a waterfall, killing him and his young daughter, an inquest has heard.Drink and drugs may have been a factor in "tragic accidents" when a man fell at a waterfall, killing him and his young daughter, an inquest has heard.
The coroner said the fact that James Gallacher, 35, had consumed alcohol and cocaine may have impaired his ability to react in an emergency situation.The coroner said the fact that James Gallacher, 35, had consumed alcohol and cocaine may have impaired his ability to react in an emergency situation.
He and his daughter Soraya, three, slipped and fell 50ft from a waterfall in Snowdonia, at Llanbedr, Gwynedd.He and his daughter Soraya, three, slipped and fell 50ft from a waterfall in Snowdonia, at Llanbedr, Gwynedd.
The coroner recorded accidental death verdicts on the pair, from Manchester.The coroner recorded accidental death verdicts on the pair, from Manchester.
The inquest at Dolgellau heard that window cleaner Mr Gallacher, his daughter Soraya, and her mother had travelled down to the campsite at Llanbedr last July to visit family who were camping, near the Nantcol waterfall beauty spot. The inquest at Dolgellau heard that window cleaner Mr Gallacher was over the drink-drive limit and had a "significant" amount of cocaine in his bloodstream when the accident happened in July.
He and his daughter Soraya, and her mother had travelled down to the campsite at Llanbedr last July to visit family who were camping, near the Nantcol waterfall beauty spot.
He turned round as though to carry on walking and he was just gone. It happened so fast James Gallacher's sister Elen
They had had a barbecue and then gone to the pub, the inquest was told.They had had a barbecue and then gone to the pub, the inquest was told.
Toxicology reports Then they had seen signs for the waterfall and decided to take a closer look and walked along a path leading to the top to the falls.
Then they had seen signs for the waterfall and decided to take a closer look and walked along the path to the falls. Mr Gallacher's sister Elen told the hearing that Soraya had asked to be picked up.
Mr Gallacher's sister Ellen told the hearing that Soraya had asked to be picked up. She described how her brother picked up his daughter and simply "disappeared".
She said Mr Gallacher had picked the little girl up, turned round "and he was gone". "I don't think he knew that the edge was there," she told the inquest.
"He turned round as though to carry on walking and he was just gone. It happened so fast."
Still holding
An underwater search was launched involving police, fire and ambulance crews. assisted by two amateur divers and a heat-seeking infra-red scanner on the North Wales Police helicopter.An underwater search was launched involving police, fire and ambulance crews. assisted by two amateur divers and a heat-seeking infra-red scanner on the North Wales Police helicopter.
But the pair, who were part of a family of four adults and two children holidaying at the nearby Shell Island campsite, were found dead around an hour after they fell.But the pair, who were part of a family of four adults and two children holidaying at the nearby Shell Island campsite, were found dead around an hour after they fell.
The inquest also heard that toxicology reports show Mr Gallacher had more than the legal drink-drive limit of alcohol in his blood and that he had taken cocaine. Pathologist Tony Caslin told the hearing that Soraya had hit her head in the fall, suffering a fractured skull that killed her instantly.
His family were asked when he has taken the drug, but they said they did not know. Her father was not injured by the initial fall but drowned in up to five metres of water in the deep pool below the waterfall
Recording his verdicts, North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said the alcohol and cocaine consumption may have impaired Mr Gallacher's ability tor react. A volunteer diver who helped find the bodies said Mr Gallacher was still holding on to his daughter when he discovered them, as though he had been trying to protect her in the fall.
The only comment I would make is that the presence of alcohol and cocaine may have affected his ability to cope with an emergency. Coroner Dew Pritchard Jones
Tests showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 130mg/100ml of blood. The legal driving level is 80mg/100ml of blood.
Toxicology reports also found that the father had 0.1mg of cocaine per litre of blood.
Dr Caslin said: "It is a significant amount. It would have affected his behaviour."
Addressing the family, the coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones added: "The only comment I would make is that the presence of alcohol and cocaine may have affected his ability to cope with an emergency."
But he said that, sadly, slipping and falling was all too common on Snowdonia footpaths.But he said that, sadly, slipping and falling was all too common on Snowdonia footpaths.