Coroner's Inquest about Willy Butler's death
Nelson, July 29 - Checking the length of a climbing rope or tying a simple knot in the end of it could have prevented well-known
Golden Bay rock climber Willy Butler's death, a coroner's inquest has been told.
Nelson coroner Ian Smith found that Butler died from severe head injuries after falling 10 to 12 metres while climbing near Port Tarakohe, near Takaka, on January 24. Constable Bruce Telford, told the court Butler had climbed a 30m rock face while his girlfriend, Kirsty MacLeod, belayed him from the ground.
Butler then tied his rope to a permanent anchor at the top of the rock face before descending. As he was being lowered, Butler removed safety clips known as carabiner quickdraws, which he had used during his ascent. When Butler was 10m to 12m from the ground, the 50m rope he was
using, which was too short for that particular climb, ran through MacLeod's hands and out of the belaying device. Butler would have been relying on the rope, with all his weight on it. He fell to the ground. MacLeod had not noticed the lack of rope because she was watching Butler as she lowered him, Mr Telford said. "By watching him, she could stop him at particular points so he could remove the safety clips.'' If the length of rope had been checked, a 60m rope would have been sufficient or if a simple knot had been tied in the end of the rope, the accident may not have happened, he said. Mr Smith made no recommendations but noted that while Butler's death was "extremely unfortunate'', the type of activity he was
engaged in was "a dangerous one''.
Golden Bay rock climber Willy Butler's death, a coroner's inquest has been told.
Nelson coroner Ian Smith found that Butler died from severe head injuries after falling 10 to 12 metres while climbing near Port Tarakohe, near Takaka, on January 24. Constable Bruce Telford, told the court Butler had climbed a 30m rock face while his girlfriend, Kirsty MacLeod, belayed him from the ground.
Butler then tied his rope to a permanent anchor at the top of the rock face before descending. As he was being lowered, Butler removed safety clips known as carabiner quickdraws, which he had used during his ascent. When Butler was 10m to 12m from the ground, the 50m rope he was
using, which was too short for that particular climb, ran through MacLeod's hands and out of the belaying device. Butler would have been relying on the rope, with all his weight on it. He fell to the ground. MacLeod had not noticed the lack of rope because she was watching Butler as she lowered him, Mr Telford said. "By watching him, she could stop him at particular points so he could remove the safety clips.'' If the length of rope had been checked, a 60m rope would have been sufficient or if a simple knot had been tied in the end of the rope, the accident may not have happened, he said. Mr Smith made no recommendations but noted that while Butler's death was "extremely unfortunate'', the type of activity he was
engaged in was "a dangerous one''.