A British holidaymaker who got into a drunken argument with his partner and had to be escorted off a plane died after a suspected fall hours later, an inquest heard.
Ben Crook, 32, jetted off on a family trip to Antalya, Turkey,to celebrate his birthday with his partner and her two children on September 23 this year.
He began drinking after setting off from his home in Abertridwr, Caerphilly county, and continued to do so inside Bristol Airport and onboard the plane.
Ben had an argument with his partner during the flight and, once they landed, he was escorted off the plane by security after breaking both of their phones – meaning he could not be contacted.
He was last seen in Kaleiçi, the old town district of Antalya, before he disappeared and a search was launched to find him. Ben’s body was found the following day, on his birthday, less than a mile from the family’s hotel.
Coroner Rose Farmer said a post-mortem examination was carried out in Turkey but the results had not yet been provided.
Ben from the Abertridwr area of Caerphilly, was identified by his father after he flew out to Turkey to see the body.
After Ben’s body was flown home to Wales a second post-mortem was carried out and appeared to show he had ‘fallen from a height and died from injuries sustained, it’s believed, as a result of a fall’.
The inquest was adjourned for a full hearing to be held on April 17 next year.
After Ben’s body was found The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Turkey and we are in contact with the local authorities.’
A fundraising appeal to help his family has since raised almost £14,000 in his memory.
The appeal said: ‘Ben was a right character with an infectious smile, a wicked sense of humour and thanks to those random acts, stupid comments or busting out those dance moves, he could brighten up the dullest day and make you laugh til you cried.
‘So many great memories to cherish Ben boy, you really will be missed more than you will ever know.’