An inquest into the death of the American rock climber and adventurer Michael Reardon, missing off the Kerry coast since July, has concluded he died by misadventure.
The 42-year-old extreme rock climber, from Oakpark, California, was regarded as one of the world's leading free solo climbers. He was washed out to sea from a cliff on Valentia Island on July 13th last.
A major search co-ordinated by the Valentia Coast Guard involving naval and Garda divers, the rescue helicopter, gardaí and local people got under way minutes after he went missing and continued for some days, but it failed to find him.
The jury brought in a verdict of death by misadventure because of the dangerous nature of the activity in which the climber was involved when he met his death.
Kerry south coroner Terence Casey said that although Mr Reardon's body had not been recovered, the Coroners Act, 1962 (Section 23) allowed him to conduct an inquest following a direction from the Minister for Justice.
If the deceased's remains were recovered, the jury would be recalled, Mr Casey added.
He asked members of the public to remain vigilant on the seashore for the climber's remains.
In an affidavit read to the inquest in Cahersiveen, Los Angeles photographer Damien Corso said he was accompanying the rock climber and was taking photographs.
Mr Reardon had just climbed a section of rockface near the Valentia Coast Guard station three times without a rope and was standing on a flat piece of rock that was slippery and covered with algae. There were big waves and he saw Mr Reardon try to hold on to something solid but he was knocked off his feet and was swept out to sea.
Mr Corso tried to rescue him with a rope and harness from his backpack but he had been dragged out too far.
The pair had no mobile phone and Mr Corso ran to the nearby Coast Guard station for help. The lifeboat was quickly on the scene but Mr Reardon had disappeared by the time Mr Corso returned to the nearby cliff.
The coroner said he accepted Mr Corso's evidence as fact and it could be presumed Mr Reardon drowned.
Mr Casey recommended a verdict of death by misadventure, rather than accidental death, because of the dangerous activity he was involved in when he died and the heavy seas at the time.
"The sport he was involved in was quite dangerous. It was dangerous due to the footing on the rocks and the heavy seas at the time," he said.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the recommendation.