A promising young Wolverhampton accountant who was looking forward to the birth of his first child drowned on a team-building exercise in Wales as he was trying to find his way back to his tent, an inquest heard.
Mitchells & Butlers worker Carl Wright, aged 31, is believed to have fallen from a river bank in the Brecon Beacons onto rocks before being found face down in the water. The hearing was told that Mr Wright’s wife Amanda gave birth to his son after his death.
He had been camping with 16 colleagues when the tragedy happened.
Powys coroner Mr Peter Maddox said Mr Wright, who had been drinking, had “probably” been unable to find his tent when he decided to go to bed.
He said: “The post mortem findings recorded some injuries consistent with a fall onto the rock platform where his body was found, so on balance he probably fell from the river bank onto the rock platform while looking for his tent.
“He became partially immersed in water and drowned.
“More likely than not the darkness, the lack of a torch, Mr Wright’s lack of familiarity with his surroundings and the consumption of alcohol contributed to the fall.”
Mr Wright, of The Holloway, Compton, was found dead close to where he and his co-workers were camping by Birch Hall Bothy, near Neuadd reservoir.
Mr Maddox recorded a verdict of accidental death on the former pupil of St Michael’s Junior School in Merry Hill following yesterday’s inquest.
Speaking after the death in September 2006, Mr Wright’s heartbroken father Pete said the tragedy had shattered the family and particularly Carl’s wife, who was several weeks pregnant at the time.
Bosses at M&B said Mr Wright, who worked at the company’s base in Birmingham’s Fleet Street, had joined the company at the age of 16 in 1991.
A spokeswoman for the company said: “He was a well-respected member of the team and will be greatly missed by all those who worked with him and became friends with him.”
The family was unavailable for comment today.
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