Welsh father died in Turkey after being escorted from plane

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Welsh father died in Turkey after being escorted from plane
Ben Crook, 32, became separated from his family after he was removed from a flight, but his family later discovered he had died
Ben Crook was reported missing in Turkey in an appeal widely circulated online
A father died after falling from a height while on holiday in Turkey after he was removed from a flight for intoxicated behaviour and was separated from his family. It was only after his father travelled to Turkey to find out what had happened that they learnt he had died.
Ben Crook, 32, was reported missing after he flew out to Antalya with his partner Jess Jenkins and their two children on September 23. Having drunk alcohol and taken cocaine, he behaved erratically on the flight by shouting at an air steward and smashing his and Ms Jenkins' phones, the inquest heard.
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When the plane landed in Turkey on September 24, Mr Crook, of Abertridwr, Caerphilly, was escorted from the plane and separated from Ms Jenkins, who was told to leave the airport and took a taxi to her hotel with her children. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.
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An inquest at Gwent Coroner's Court on Tuesday heard Mr Crook never reached the hotel and failed to turn up for the return flight home on September 30.
As a result of his son's disappearance, Mr Crook's father travelled to Turkey and discovered his son had died, having fallen from a height and suffered fatal injuries.
A post mortem examination carried out at the Antalya Forensic Institute on September 24 revealed Mr Crook had suffered external injuries and lacerations which were in keeping with a fall. He died at Antalya Training and Research Hospital at 2.15am on September 25.
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Mr Crook's body was repatriated to the UK and a further post mortem examination was carried out at Grange University Hospital by Dr Majid Rashid on October 22.
The examination revealed the deceased had suffered head injuries and bruising to his upper limbs as well as cuts and multiple abrasions to his abdominal wall. There had been an incision to the chest wall which suggested a chest tube had been inserted to drain fluid.
The vault of Mr Crook's skull had been fractured, there was damage and bleeding to the brain and the pelvis had been fractured on both sides.
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A toxicology report revealed the presence of cocaine, alcohol, ketamine and cocaethylene in Mr Crook's blood, with the ketamine likely administered during his treatment.
Dr Rashid recorded the medical cause of death as fractured skull and pelvis caused by blunt trauma as a result of a fall.
In a statement read out to the court by senior coroner Caroline Saunders, Ms Jenkins said Mr Crook had started drinking alcohol before they arrived at the airport and bought duty free alcohol at the airport which they planned to drink at their hotel.
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The flight was delayed so the couple began drinking the duty free alcohol. Ms Jenkins said her partner was a "nervous flier" but they were "chatting and joking" before take off.
During the flight, she said Mr Crook's behaviour changed and he began shouting at a male steward, demanding alcohol. He then broke both his and Ms Jenkins' mobile phones and as a result of his behaviour he was escorted off the plane and became separated from his partner.
Speaking about Mr Crook's alcohol and drug use, Ms Jenkins said her partner used cocaine recreationally and only did so when he had been drinking.
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Mr Crook's sister Amy said her brother had had issues with drugs and alcohol and his consumption had increased in the months before his death.
She said her brother also suffered with his mental health, which was impacted by his drug and alcohol use, but Ms Crook said there was nothing to suggest he would take his own life and leave his two children without a father.
Upon returning from Turkey, Mr Crook's father realised he had received a message in his Facebook Messenger spam folder which appeared to be from his son, in which he was trying to find out the name of the hotel where his partner was staying. There was a further message again requesting contact.
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Members of Mr Crook's family had contact from a number of unidentified individuals in Turkey who claimed they had seen the deceased before his death.
One woman who made contact with Ms Jenkins wrote: "Hello, we have just seen your post about Ben being missing. We saw him on September 24 at lunchtime. He approached me and my husband for help while walking near Kaleici Harbour. He said he smashed up his phone and had brought a new one but it was not ringing for some reason. He used my phone to send a message to his friend and we gave him our number if he needed more help. He looked shaken and hungover. After the Facebook message and ringing his friend, he crossed the harbour and walked, we presumed, to the police station for help."
Friends and family of Mr Crook later received messages from people, including photographs of what appeared to be Mr Crook lying supine on rocky ground at the bottom of a tall building.
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Others suggested Mr Crook had fallen at around 6.20pm on September 24, while he was smoking. There was no suggestion of third party involvement.
Delivering her conclusion, Ms Saunders said: "(Alcohol and drugs) may have caused disorientation and poor judgement but this is insufficient to determine he fell as a result of the drugs he had taken.
"I find the fall was an accident, the exact details of which are unknown...
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"On September 24, 2024, Ben Crook fell from height whilst on holiday in Turkey and sustained severe head and pelvic injuries and died on September 25, 2024. The conclusion I reach is that of an accident."
The coroner offered her sincere condolences to Mr Crook's family in the courtroom.