Irish Student Fell From Cliffs While Traversing A Large Puddle: “An Absolute Accident”

An Irish student fell to her death after slipping at the Cliffs of Moher last year. A coroner reached a verdict last week, declaring the incident an “absolute accident.”

What happened: According to a report by the Irish Times, 20-year-old Roxan Bastaens slipped and fell off the cliff edge in May 2024. She was reportedly in the area to go hiking with four friends.

• The inquest heard testimony from another student, Guilia Bracchi. She claimed she was behind Bastaens when she fell. Bracchi explained that they were all wearing hiking boots, and the conditions were calm. “It was not difficult. There were hundreds of people on the cliffs. The impression was that the trail was safe,” she reportedly said.
• Bracchi also noted that the trail had a protective barrier at the start. However, as the group proceeded, the ground became more slippery, and there was no protection.
• Per the BBC, the student claimed the group encountered a “big puddle” at around 1 PM as they walked in single file. “I had seen lots of people walking in exactly the same way before us,” she said. Bastaens reportedly had her camera in her hands at the time and was looking at her steps as she walked.

Bracchi Explains The Incident At The Cliffs “Happened So Fast”

A tragic accident: Per The Irish Times, Bracchi saw Bastaen’s foot “going to the side” on the muddy trail. “She fell forward, and she started tumbling down, and I tried to catch her, but I couldn’t. It all happened so fast,” she said.

• Another student, Catherine Didier, was reportedly walking in front of Bastaens at the time. She said she “walked past the puddle no problem,” per the BBC.
• She explained that she had to be careful and saw Roxan slipping when she turned around. “I didn’t want to look over the edge,” Didier recalled.
• According to the Irish Times, county coroner Isobel O’Dea stated Bastaens’ blood tested negative for drugs or alcohol. “Unfortunately, we have a number of deaths at the Cliffs of Moher each year, and this was an absolute accident,” she said. O’Dea also noted that Bastaen’s death was instantaneous, so she would not have suffered.
• The outlet reports that large sections of the Cliffs of Moher trail remain closed due to safety concerns.