Teenager’s ski resort death fall was ‘accidental’

Edward De Nunzio, 18, suffered severe head injuries when he attempted the jump between the roofs at the end of a night out with friends in Courchevel in the French Alps.

The teenager, who had picked up straight A grades after studying at one of Yorkshire’s leading independent schools, was on a gap year when the accident happened on February 26 this year.

He was nearly three-quarters of the way through a 10-week course to train as a ski instructor at the New Generation Ski and Snowboard School at the Alpine resort, which is a regular haunt of the rich and famous.

Llyr Hughes worked at the resort’s complex and told the inquest in Selby that he had also been drinking when he met Mr De Nunzio, who was on his way back from an evening out with friends.

He said they climbed on to the top of buildings near their accommodation, and worked their way along the second floor roofs before they reached a gap.

Mr Hughes said: “I remember we did stop and I think I pointed out this was stupid.

“It was not something we had done before.

“We were just trying to get back to our chalet along the roofs. I decided we were going to go for it.”

The inquest heard the gap between the pitched roofs of the buildings was about 4ft, but the roof they were jumping from was higher than the one they were trying to land on.

Mr Hughes managed to jump the gap, landing on his hands and feet, and “scrambled” up the roof when he heard Mr De Nunzio land behind him.

He said: “I remember being surprised, turned and saw him standing up, and he just, I don’t know if he lost his balance or tripped.

“As I turned he was standing and just toppled over backwards.”

French police launched an investigation after the accident in an attempt to piece together the exact circumstances surrounding Mr De Nunzio’s death.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Rob Turnbull noted that statements from the teenager’s friends and family showed Mr De Nunzio’s behaviour was “completely out of character”.

He told the teenager’s family: “His judgment was affected with very tragic consequences.

“This is a terrible and tragic loss to you.”

A spokeswoman for the New Generation Ski School stressed that it was the first fatal accident in its 13-year history.

The 30 students who were on the course along with Mr De Nunzio were all offered specialist counselling after the tragedy happened.

His parents Tony – who is a former Asda chief executive – and Julie live in Tadcaster in North Yorkshire and paid tribute to their “bright and talented” son.

A family statement said: “We remain devastated by the loss of Edward in this tragic accident.

“He was a bright, talented young man, a loving son and brother.

“He brought sunshine into the lives of all those who knew him. We love Ed and miss him so much.”

The family also expressed their gratitude for the messages of support and acts of kindness they have received since his death.

Mr De Nunzio studied at the Minster School and then Bootham School in York, where he achieved three As and two A*s at A-level.

The headteacher of Bootham School, Jonathan Taylor, described his former pupil as “enormously talented” adding he was “cheerful, humane, combining academic ability with personal charm”.

Mr De Nunzio had acted in drama productions and was a member of the school council.

The teenager had planned to do voluntary work in Peru later this year, before starting a geography degree at University College London in October.

A Facebook page was set up on the internet in his memory and was inundated with tributes.

Courchevel has one of the largest bases for ski instructors due to the size of its area spread across three valleys, and the resort is renowned as having some of the most difficult black runs in the world.

It has been frequented by a long list of celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham as well as Sir Richard Branson, Ian Botham and David Coulthard.

Since the mid-2000s, Courchevel has also become the ski resort of choice for the children of wealthy Russian elites.