Ben Crook, 32, went missing in Antalya, Turkey, and his body was found on September 24 – his birthday – at the bottom of a drop about half a mile from her his partner was staying
A British holidaymaker got into a drunken bust-up with his partner and had to be escorted off a plane before falling to his death, an inquest has heard.
Ben Crook, 32, had been drinking on the way to the airport for the family trip to celebrate his birthday and continued to consume alcohol on the plane to Turkey. An inquest heard he argued with his partner during the flight and was escorted off the plane by security after breaking both of their phones – meaning he could not be contacted.
Ben was last seen in Kaleiçi, the old town district of Antalya, before he disappeared and a search was launched to find him. The appeal said he was last seen wearing a black Versace shirt, black shorts, and white Nike trainers with a blue tick when he disappeared.
But his body was found the following day – which happened to be Ben’s birthday – on September 24 on stony ground at the bottom of a drop 0.6miles from the hotel where his partner and her two children were staying. Coroner Rose Farmer said a post-mortem examination was carried out in Turkey but the results had not yet been provided.
Ben from the Abertridwr area of Caerphilly, was identified by his father after he flew out to Turkey to see the body. After Ben’s body was flown home to Wales a second post-mortem was carried out and appeared to show he had “fallen from a height and died from injuries sustained, it’s believed, as a result of a fall”.
The inquest was adjourned for a full hearing to be held on April 17 next year. After Ben’s body was found The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Turkey and we are in contact with the local authorities.”
A fundraising appeal to help his family has since raised almost £14,000 in his memory. The appeal said: “Ben was a right character with an infectious smile, a wicked sense of humour and thanks to those random acts, stupid comments or busting out those dance moves, he could brighten up the dullest day and make you laugh til you cried. So many great memories to cherish Ben boy, you really will be missed more than you will ever know.”
