Mountaineer's death 'accidental'

Jules Cartwright and Julie Colverd died in the Alps

A verdict of accidental death has been returned on a Herefordshire mountaineer who died in the Swiss Alps last summer.

Jules Cartwright, from Brobury, died when he fell 150 metres down an ice wall onto a glacier as he climbed the Cassin route on Piz Badile.

The 29-year-old had been roped to fellow climber Julie Colverd, who also died at the scene.

Coroner David Halpern said no-one could tell which climber had slipped first pulling the other down.

Good weather

Sheffield-based Mr Cartwright, who was in the final stages of qualifying as a professional mountain guide, was helping his client Ms Colverd, from Essex, when they fell.

The inquest heard statements from two other climbers who were in the same group of four as Mr Cartwright and 43-year-old Ms Colverd who said the climb had been undertaken in good weather.

Swiss authorities agreed that the correct precautions had also been taken.

The coroner said there was a risk that always surrounded serious outdoor activities of this nature.