Inquest to be held into deaths of Sheffield sisters who died in waterfall tragedy

An inquest is to be held today into the deaths of two sisters from Sheffield who died in a waterfall tragedy while travelling around the world.
By Claire Lewis
Published 25th Feb 2019, 06:39 BST
Updated 25th Feb 2019, 06:42 BST
Izzy Squire and Beth Anderson died in VietnamIzzy Squire and Beth Anderson died in Vietnam
Izzy Squire and Beth Anderson died in Vietnam

Sisters Izzy Squire, 19, and Beth Anderson, 24, died with their friend Christian Sloan, 25, during a day trip in the Dalanla waterfalls area of Vietnam in February 2016.

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Beth Anderson and Izzy Squire with parents Tracy Dodd and David SquireBeth Anderson and Izzy Squire with parents Tracy Dodd and David Squire
Beth Anderson and Izzy Squire with parents Tracy Dodd and David Squire
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Miss Squire and Miss Anderson's parents said they are confident the inquest, which is to be held at Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre, will establish that the trio were doing nothing dangerous or reckless at the time of their deaths.

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David Squire and Tracy Dodd said reports from Vietnam at the time of the tragedy suggested that the backpackers had ignored advice, had been ‘messing about’ or negligent in other ways as they took part in dangerous activities.

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But they said initial reports that implied they had somehow contributed to their own deaths had now been shown to be ‘complete rubbish’.

And they stressed that the evidence will also show that the friends were taking part in a tourist activity in a park Ms Dodd described as ‘like Center Parcs meets the National Trust’.

Mr Squire said his daughters, from Endcliffe, and Mr Sloan, from Kent, had taken part in a number of tourist activities on the day trip in the hours before tragedy struck while they were ‘water sliding,.

He said the final activity involved putting on safety equipment, including a life jacket and helmet, and then sliding head first down a smooth, stone slab into a pool.

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He said much of the evidence gathered for the coroner for today’s inquest came following a Facebook campaign by Mr Sloan's sister, Katie, which led to many people coming forward who were close to the scene at the time.

Mr Squire said: "It's not like we're gunning for justice or retribution. It's not like that.

"We just want everyone to know that they didn't do anything wrong at all.

"They were innocent completely.

"They thought they were taking an easy tour trip, a day trek thing. It was not an adventurous day for them."