Coroner returns verdict of accidental death after boy (12) fell off the Cliffs of Moher
In eye-witness testimony at the Clare coroner's court into the accidental death of Zhihan Zhao at the Cliffs of Moher on July 23rd last, French tourist, Marion Tourgon described seeing Zhihan fall over the edge at around 1:45pm on the day.
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Zhihan had set out on walking the Cliffs of Moher trail from Hag's Head on the Liscannor side or southern side of the Cliffs of Moher to the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre with his mother, Xianhong Huang and her friends.
The two Chinese nationals had arrived in Ireland only 12 days previous on July 11th. Last year, 1:49m people visited the Cliffs of Moher making it Ireland's most popular natural attraction.
In her deposition, Ms Huang said that Zhihan was walking ahead of her on the Cliffs of Moher trail and she lost sight of him.
Speaking through an interpreter at the inquest in Kilrush, Co Clare, Ms Huang wiping away tears, asked: 'What exactly caused Zhihan to fall from the Cliffs?'
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Clare County Coroner, Isobel O'Dea told the distraught Ms Huang that the evidence of Ms Tourgon would help answer that question.
In her deposition Ms Tourgon said that she was at the edge of the Cliffs of Moher with her husband and two children at around 1:45pm.
She said that they were taking a selfie when she saw a young Asian boy, who was alone, come into view.
She said: 'I saw him slipping in the puddle that appears in the photo that my husband sent to the police."
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Ms Tourgon said: 'His right foot slipped into the puddle with him trying to stop himself from falling with his left foot but his left foot ended up in the air.'
She said: 'It was very quick - he found himself in an awkward position with his left foot in a void over the cliff and his right knee on the edge of the cliff.'
Ms Tourgon said: 'His right knee eventually fell into the void over the cliff and he was trying to grasp the grass with his hands to pull himself up. He didn't shout and there was no noise.'
She said that 'it is the only the few of us who saw him falling' and the Tourgons alerted the emergency services by phone.
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Speaking again through an interpreter, Ms Huang asked 'did he slip?' and in reply, Inspector Helen Costello told her: 'It appears from the witness that he slipped into the void having stumbled in the puddle.'
In her deposition, Ms Huang said that she started out from Nagle's car park in Liscannor to walk to the Cliffs of Moher with Zhihan and friends of hers.
She said: 'My son walked very fast and was ahead of us by 50 metres'
She said: 'As there was only one path I thought we would meet him along the way. When I didn't I walked to the visitor centre and I checked the visitor centre."
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When she couldn't find her son here, she walked back along the path to search for her son and after not finding him, she reported him missing.
She said that she last saw Zhihan at 1pm that day. She said that Zhihan was a fluent English speaker and described the clothes that Zhihan was wearing that day including black shorts, Nike Air Jordans, an LA Lakers wristband and a kid's smart-watch.
Sgt Claire McGuigan said that on the day, Ms Huang was able to provide a photo of Zhihan she had taken taken earlier on the Cliffs of Moher trail.
Garda Colm Collins said that he received a call that day at 2pm to attend the Cliffs of Moher after a male was seen falling off the cliff edge.
He said that the Irish Coastguard had spotted a body floating in the water at the base of the Cliffs of Moher.
Through the interpreter, the mother asked was the location the same spot where scenes from a Harry Potter movie were shot and Insp Costello said that they were not.
Garda Collins said that a lifeboat was launched but the craft was not able to access the site where the body was spotted due to the sea conditions.
Zhihan's body would not be recovered from the sea for another five days and was recovered after fisherman, Matthew O'Halloran from Corofin, Co Clare spotted a body facedown and arms extended in the water between Doolin and the Aran Islands shortly after 10am on Sunday, July 28th.
Mr O'Halloran alerted the Irish coastguard at Valentia and members of the Doolin unit of the Irish coastguard retrieved Zhihan's body from the waters and brought it ashore at Doolin.
Ms O'Dea said that the post mortem found that Zhihan died from multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from a height.
Ms O'Dea said her verdict was one of 'accidental death'.
She said: 'It is clear from evidence we heard that Zhihan slipped off the Cliffs rather than any other way. His death would have been very quick - instantaneous."
Ms O'Dea told Ms Huang 'I can't imagine how upsetting this is for you' and the two embraced as Ms Huang left the coroner's court in Kilrush.
Ms O'Dea also extended her sympathies to Zhihan's father who was not present at the inquest.
Addressing Ms Huang, Insp Costello said: 'The pain must be immeasurable for you all.'
Ms Huang declined to comment on the record when approached for comment after the inquest.
On August 22nd of last year, the Clare Local Development Company closed off large sections of part of the Cliffs of Moher trail and it remains closed off today due to continuing safety concerns.
At the time, the Clare Local Development Company confirmed that it was taking the action following the two recent fatal accidents on the Cliffs of Moher trail.
In May 2024, a young woman died after she fell from the Cliffs of Moher. She was in her early 20s and a college student from Belgium who was studying in Scotland.
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