Ben Crook’s post mortem revealed he had suffering horrendous injuries after ‘falling from height’
A dad tragically died after falling from a height whilst on holiday in Turkey, following his removal from a flight due to drunken behaviour and subsequent separation from his family. The devastating news of his death was only discovered when his father travelled to Turkey to investigate his whereabouts.
Ben Crook, 32, was reported missing after he jetted off to Antalya with his partner Jess Jenkins and their two children on September 23. After consuming alcohol and cocaine, he exhibited erratic behaviour on the flight, shouting at an air steward and smashing both his and Ms Jenkins’ mobiles, according to the inquest.
Upon landing in Turkey on September 24, Mr Crook, from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, was escorted off the plane and separated from Ms Jenkins. She was instructed to leave the airport and took a taxi to their hotel with the children.
The inquest at Gwent Coroner’s Court on Tuesday revealed that Mr Crook never made it to the hotel, reports Wales Online.
Following his son’s disappearance, Mr Crook’s father journeyed to Turkey and uncovered the tragic news that his son had died after falling from a height and sustaining fatal injuries.
A post mortem examination conducted at the Antalya Forensic Institute confirmed that Mr Crook had suffered external injuries and lacerations consistent with a fall. He passed away at Antalya Training and Research Hospital at 2.15am on September 25, the inquest heard.
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Following repatriation of Mr Crook’s body to the UK, a further post-mortem examination was performed at Grange University Hospital by Dr Majid Rashid on October 22, revealing that he had suffered severe head injuries, bruising on his upper limbs, cuts, and multiple abrasions to his abdominal wall. A chest incision suggested a tube had been inserted to drain fluid.
The examination also found a fractured skull vault, brain damage, and bleeding, as well as a fractured pelvis on both sides.
Toxicology reports showed the presence of cocaine, alcohol, ketamine, and cocaethylene in Mr Crook’s blood, with ketamine likely administered during treatment.
Dr Rashid determined the cause of death to be a fractured skull and pelvis due to blunt trauma from a fall.
In a statement read aloud in court by senior coroner Caroline Saunders, Ms Jenkins stated that Mr Crook had started drinking before arriving at the airport and purchased duty-free alcohol to consume at their hotel.
Due to a flight delay, the couple began drinking duty-free alcohol, with Ms Jenkins describing her partner as a “nervous flier” but mentioning they were “chatting and joking” before takeoff. During the flight, she revealed that Mr Crook’s demeanour altered and he started yelling at a male steward, demanding booze.
He subsequently smashed both his and Ms Jenkins’ mobiles, leading to him being escorted off the plane and separated from his partner.
Discussing Mr Crook’s substance abuse, Ms Jenkins stated her partner used cocaine recreationally, only indulging when he had been drinking.
Mr Crook’s sister Amy disclosed that her brother had struggled with drugs and alcohol, with his consumption escalating in the months preceding his death.
She also mentioned her brother’s mental health struggles, exacerbated by his drug and alcohol use, but Ms Crook insisted there were no signs he would take his own life, leaving his two children fatherless.
Upon returning from Turkey, Mr Crook’s father discovered a message in his Facebook Messenger spam folder, seemingly from his son, who was trying to ascertain the name of the hotel where his partner was staying. There was an additional message again requesting contact.
Members of Mr Crook’s family received communication from several unidentified individuals in Turkey who claimed they had seen the deceased prior to his death.
One individual who got in touch with Ms Jenkins claimed: “Hello, we have just seen your post about Ben being missing. We saw him on September 24 at lunchtime. He approached me and my husband for help while walking near Kaleici Harbour. He said he smashed up his phone and had brought a new one but it was not ringing for some reason. He used my phone to send a message to his friend and we gave him our number if he needed more help. He looked shaken and hungover. After the Facebook message and ringing his friend, he crossed the harbour and walked, we presumed, to the police station for help.”
Messages later followed from others, which included photographs apparently of Mr Crook lying on the ground at the base of a building.
There were suggestions he fell while smoking on 24 September, but there was no sign of third-party involvement.
Ms Saunders delivered her conclusion: “(Alcohol and drugs) may have caused disorientation and poor judgement but this is insufficient to determine he fell as a result of the drugs he had taken.”
She decided: “I find the fall was an accident, the exact details of which are unknown..”
Her final conclusion read: “On September 24, 2024, Ben Crook fell from height whilst on holiday in Turkey and sustained severe head and pelvic injuries and died on September 25, 2024. The conclusion I reach is that of an accident.”
