Tragic moment 'cherished' hiker killed after attempting 'challenging' route up Snowdonia mountain Tryfan

Salford University graduate Maria Eftimova fell to her death while out hiking in Wales

A 28-year-old former University of Salford student fell to her death while out hiking in the Welsh mountains with friends.

Maria Eftimova had gone to Tryfan in Eryri, the Snowdonia National Park, where she tragically died after plummeting some 65 feet.

A friend who with her at the time told an inquest that she was "in freefall", and had passed over him as she fell.

Ms Eftimova died of severe head injuries on February 22 this year, with a coroner ruling that her death was accidental, NorthWalesLive reports.

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Speaking at an inquest into her death, Ms Eftimova's friend Harry Jones told how they were a group of seven hikers out of 20 who had decided to take a more challenging route to the summit of Tryfan along with fellow hiker Neil Oakes.

Mr Oakes had been in front, then Ms Eftimova and finally Mr Jones, with the group proceeding methodically up the mountain.

"We travelled in single file, moving from ledge to ledge, once the person in front had vacated it," said Mr Jones.

Recalling the terrible moment, he said: "I could see on one particular ledge Maria stopped in order to get a handhold to pull herself up. I was six feet below her, to the left.

"She swung her right leg up to pull herself up. I asked 'Got it well?' and she said 'I think so." The next moment Mr Jones saw Ms Eftimova "flying over me", saying he "completely froze."

Mr Oakes was above, and looked away as he saw her falling so he wouldn't see the impact.

He said: "I turned and saw Ms Eftimova tumbling through the air below me. She was already in freefall. I knew there was going to be an impact on the rocky outcrop below so I turned away for a split second. I was shouting 'No, no, no, no.'

"When I turned back she was on the ledge below. I knew that it was serious. (Another hiker above) said 'What?" and I said 'She's gone. She's fallen'. I was in shock," said Mr Oakes.

Other hikers came down and were able to lower Ms Eftimova to a more secure ledge and call 999, while one hiker administer CPR until emergency services arrived.

A Mountain Rescue Team arrived at the scene as well as a helicopter, and Ms Eftimova was taken to OVMRT base, but sadly her injuries were too severe and she passed away.

Consultant histopathologist Dr Muhammad Zain Mehdi carried out a post-mortem examination and concluded that Ms Eftimova died from a laceration to the brain, due to a fractured skull due to a fall.

Her dad Rosen Eftimov paid tribute to his daughter, saying that she had "snowboarded intensely" as well as running marathons and surfing. She had also trained in intensive swimming, practised pole dancing, and had even undertaken a glacier climbing course in Norway.

Kate Robertson, senior coroner for north west Wales, concluded in a hearing at Caenarfon that Ms Efimova's death was accidental.

The inquest heard Ms Eftimova was born in Sofia in Bulgaria and was a British citizen. She had graduated from the University of Salford and lived in St Helens.

Senior coroner Ms Robertson said: "It seems that Maria was scrambling with others when she has unintentionally and unexpectedly fallen and during the course of that fall she has sustained the injuries which have sadly led to her death."

Ms Robertson passed on her sincere condolences to her family, who were on a link and had a Bulgarian interpreter, and friends for the death of Ms Eftimova whom she described as "bright and conscientious".

Tributes were paid online to Ms Eftimova, with a JustGiving fundraiser being launched to raise £15,000 to bring her back to her family in Bulgaria, which has raised £19,389 so far.

In a post on the fundraising site, organiser Victoria Critchley said: "Maria was an ambitious, bright and cherished 28-year-old, whose vibrant personality, energy and aura touched and uplifted all around her. She had a passion for engineering, having studied civil engineering at the University of Salford and a love for extreme sports.

"Her biggest passion being snowboarding, which she was super excited for and looking forward to doing again on her upcoming trip to Austria. She had an insatiable thirst for life and exploring our world’s beauty. Tragically, she was taken from her family far far far too soon!"