A man who was killed in an abseiling accident in the Highlands died of accidental drowning, a coroner in England has recorded.
James Schneeberger, 35, originally from Birmingham but worked as an administrator in Rosyth at the time of the tragedy, disappeared during a 39ft abseil at Dundonnell gorge in August 2017.
An inquest into the death resumed this week and Birmingham and Solihull Coroner Louise Hunt recorded accidental death by drowning.
The hearing had heard his body was found submerged in water with an abseiling rope entangled around his neck.
Mr Schneeberger, who had met adventurer Bear Grylls in 2014, had travelled with his younger brother Martin, 33, to take part in a canoeing expedition at Dundonnell River in Wester Ross.
They then went on to take part in an abseil at about 2pm on August 5, 2017 – but it ended in tragedy.
Coroner Louise Hunt said: “James completed the first part of his descent. But due to the shape of the ledge Martin lost sight of his brother.
“After 30-seconds or so Martin looked up to the ledge and could not see his brother.”
Members of the Dundonnell Mountain Rescue team carried out a search and discovered Mr Schneeberger’s body six-hours later.
Pathologist Natasha Inglis later carried out a post-mortem examination at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.
She found injuries to his face, which “raised the possibility of a slip or a fall prior to rope entanglement.”
She concluded that Mr Schneeberger had “drowned due to rope entanglement after abseiling into a gorge.”
Mrs Hunt added: “I’m satisfied on the balance of probabilities that his death was as a result of an accident.”
His family have asked for donations to be made to Dundonnell Mountain Rescue team and thanked its members for their help in the search.
