Cave inquest 'lacks information'

Helena Carroll survived by clinging to a ledge

An inquest into the death of a man on a cave expedition in Thailand has been hampered by a lack of "detailed information", a coroner has said.

John Cullen, 24, from Solihull, was among eight people who died when a cave flooded on 13 October 2007.

Birmingham Coroner Aidan Cotter said he had no power to request reports from Thai authorities so the "main purposes of an inquest" could not be met.

He added that Mr Cullen drowned and recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Cullen, a surveyor, was five weeks into a year-long overseas trip with his fiancee Helena Carroll when the incident at Khao Sok national park happened.

Twenty-one-year-old Ms Carroll, also from Solihull, climbed up to a ledge and waited for 16 hours in the dark before being rescued.

'Raise alarm'

The coroner told the inquest at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall: "John was in a group of tourists visiting a cave in Thailand. The cave flooded suddenly and unexpectedly.

"John set off swimming in the cave to raise the alarm and save the others but sadly he drowned."

But Mr Cotter told Mr Cullen's family that the main purposes of the inquest could not be met, as he had not seen detailed information from authorities in Thailand.

"That is not a criticism of the authorities in Thailand, it is a simple statement of fact," he said.

Mr Cotter added: "I have no power to request reports from anybody living outside England and Wales.

"I have no power to order others from outside England and Wales to travel to attend the inquest."

The first the family knew was when we actually saw her (Helena) on the international news Stephen Cullen John's brother

He added that he would continue to write to the authorities in Thailand to request information and suggested the family did the same.

Asked by the coroner if she had anything to add, Ms Carroll declined.

Mr Cullen's brother, Stephen Cullen, 43, spoke on behalf of his family, and said based on conversations with Ms Carroll he knew the cave became flooded "very, very quickly and the "power of the water was very, very immense."

He said both his brother and Ms Carroll had initially clung to rocks for safety, but John later decided to swim for help.

"His last words to Helena were I love you and effectively that was the last time she saw him," he said.

He added: "The first the family knew was when we actually saw her (Helena) on the international news and saw her being escorted out of the area to safety."