Mweelrea Mountain inquest records open verdict

'UNACCEPTABLE' Coroner for south Mayo, John O'Dwyer.

Mweelrea Mountain inquest highlights funding issue for Mayo Mountain Rescue


Coroner states four day wait for recovery of body is ‘unacceptable’

Ciara Galvin

A CORONER has called on the Government and Mayo County Council to ‘do something’ about the lack of funding received by the voluntary Mayo Mountain Rescue service. The coroner made the comment after an inquest heard that it took four days to find the body of a man who went missing on Mweelrea Mountain at the end of October.
Coroner for south Mayo, John O’Dwyer, said the four day wait by the family of hill walker Geoffrey Rowden, of Goatstown, Dublin, for the discovery of his remains, was ‘unacceptable’.
The coroner highlighted that he was by no means criticising the efforts of the volunteers and over 100 voluntary members of Mayo Mountain Rescue who helped in finding the body of Mr Rowden on November 2 last, but said that it was ‘unbelievable’ that Mayo Mountain Rescue had only received €7,000 in funding for 2013 by the Government.
Mr O’Dwyer outlined that funding could help with the purchase of equipment and to help training.
“I understand they don’t have a base. That is unsatisfactory,” stated Mr O’Dwyer.
Alarm raised
The inquest into the death of the 38-year-old father heard that the alarm was raised by his wife Ann-Marie Downes on Wednesday, October 30, after her husband failed to contact her since 12 noon the previous day when he set out to hike the mountain. Mr Rowden was said to be very well equipped and was a member of the Irish Mountaineering Council. Mr Rowden had also provided his wife with details of the route he intended to hike.
Mayo Mountain Rescue was contacted on Wednesday afternoon by Ms Downes’ friend and details of her husband’s route was given to them. A helicopter search was launched at 4pm that day and members of Mr Rowden’s family traveled to Mayo.
On Saturday, November 2, at 11.30am Mayo Mountain Rescue volunteer David Fahy found Mr Rowden’s body in an area known as ‘the bowl’ at Doolough, Louisburgh, on the mountain, after he noticed a darkened shape.
Pathologist Malcolm Little told the inquest that Mr Rowden had multiple skull fractures, abrasions and fractured ribs among his injuries. The pathologist concluded that Mr Rowden died instantly from a cerebral laceration and haemorrhage due to a skull fracture resulting from a fall from a significant height.
Though it is not known how far Mr Rowden fell, Sergeant Pat O’Hora, Divisional Crime Scene Unit at Castlebar Garda Station, said he was found on a steep slope under a cliff. Sgt O’Hora told the inquest that he examined an area 50 metres above where Mr Rowden was found which showed he had made contact with the area.
“He tumbled for 50 metres down slope,” explained the Sergeant.
It is still unclear if Mr Rowden fell while making his way up or down the mountain but the inquest heard he died instantly on October 29.
High-vis vests
Asked by Mr O’Dwyer if the wearing of high-vis vests by walkers would aid in search and rescue missions in future, Mayo Mountain Rescue Team Leader Mary Walsh said there would be a higher probability of finding someone if they were wearing a high-vis vest.
Ms Walsh added that Mr Fahy was very close to the body of Mr Rowden before seeing it and that another volunteer was three to four metres away from his remains but hadn’t seen them.
The coroner said the wearing of high-vis vests would ‘help bring ease to minds that they haven’t got lost entirely’. “It was truly by chance he was found. Ask that those who do walk wear them,” the coroner urged.
Mr O’Dwyer recorded an open verdict as there was a large gap in knowledge as to how Mr Rowden fell. Mr O’Dwyer extended his sympathy to Mr Rowden’s wife Ann-Marie, parents, his siblings and friends who were in attendance at the inquest and also to Mr Rowden’s daughter Chloe. On behalf of the Rowden family Mr Rowden’s brother David thanked the hill walking community, Mayo Mountain Rescue for ‘bringing Geoff home’.