Mystery injury led to holidaymaker's death (From Bucks Free Press)
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Mystery injury led to holidaymaker's death
4:03pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Andy Carswell
Wycombe Law Courts, where the inquest into Andrew Smith's death was heard
AN UNKNOWN injury led to the death of a 55-year-old man while on holiday in Corsica, a coroner ruled today.
An inquest heard a haemorrhage, which could have been caused by a knock or fall, ultimately caused the death of Andrew Smith on May 31 last year.
But it could not be established what caused the trauma leading to the haemorrhage, and the inquest heard it could have happened several days previously.
Friend Alan Hartnell, who was on holiday with Mr Smith, said he complained of pain in his lower back and one of his buttocks on the day they arrived in Corsica.
Then two days later they were taking a walk when Mr Smith, of Hawridge, near Chesham, "doubled up" in pain coming from his stomach.
Mr Hartnell drove him to the nearest hospital. Doctors who saw him were so concerned at his condition they called for him to be airlifted to the island's largest hospital in Ajaccio, where he died later that day.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Richard Hulett said: "My suspicion would be something happened which, at the time, was annoying but disregarded. A lot of people fall against things and nothing comes of it. In this particular case a serious injury has been caused and developed very rapidly."
