British hiker 'fell 100ft to her death after slipping in worn shoes'

British hiker ‘fell 100ft to her death after slipping in worn shoes’

Aug 13, 2021

British hiker Esther Dingley reportedly fell 100ft to her death after she slipped in worn shoes.

The 37-year-old’s body was found this week after she vanished on a solo trek in the Pyrenees in November

This week her partner Daniel Colegate found her body next to hiking equipment close to where a bone was discovered last month.

Christophe Amunzateguy, the state prosecutor in Saint-Gaudens at the foot of the Pyrenees, told The Times that Mr Colegate’s discovery helped investigators to understand how Ms Dingley had died.

“The configuration of the site leads us very clearly towards a fall of about 20 metres or 30 metres,” Mr Amunzateguy said.

He said that officers were convinced that her death was accidental, though the autopsy is yet to be released.

Amunzateguy told the paper that a “shoe failure” may have played a part in her fall as her shoes were worn and “clearly the soles were a bit smooth”.

Ms Dingley’s body was found at the bottom of a cliff.

The prosecutor also told the MailOnline: “The accidental theory is now more than strong because the body was found directly below a kind of rocky peak.

“We believed that Esther would have fallen because along this wall, we found items that belonged to her and they ended up at the bottom.”

However, he also admitted that the events leading to her death may never be fully known as “a person who falls, and the condition of the body, make the investigation very complicated.”

Ms Dingley had been walking alone in the mountains near the Franco-Spanish border and was last seen on 22 November.

Last month, a bone was found nearby which DNA testing later confirmed to be hers.

The LBT Global charity, which provides support for missing persons overseas, said her body and equipment were found on Monday afternoon by her partner.

They said in a statement: “A team of forensic specialists along with mountain rescue personnel were dispatched to the site in order to catalogue the scene and recover Esther.

“At this stage an accident is the most likely hypothesis, given the location and other early indications. A full investigation is under way to confirm the details surrounding this tragedy.

“The family remain incredibly grateful for the efforts of the police units involved and their commitment to understanding the exact circumstances of Esther’s death.

“LBT Global are supporting Danie and Esther’s mother, Ria, as they come to terms with this news.”

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