Jayden Long and Eddie Hill: Prevention of future deaths report

I have a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner. 
In accordance with the Chief Coroner’s Publication Policy, you should send me any representations regarding publication of your response. These  representations should be made at the same time as the response is provided.

I will pass any representations received to the Chief Coroner for a decision. 
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The two individuals were discovered deceased at 11.04am on the 19th  February 2026, having fallen down steep, mountainous terrain, in adverse  weather with the ground covered in ice and snow.    

The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on the 10th September 2026. The conclusion of the inquest was “accident”.  

The cause of death recorded in respect of both individuals was “1a Multiple  Traumatic Injuries”  

At 16.22hrs, EJH sent his girlfriend a message noting that due to the weather  they were going back down the ridge. We do not know what ridge they were on at the time. On the basis of this evidence, I found that they had not reached the summit and had began their descent on or around 16.22hrs.  

At 16.27pm on the 18th February, North Wales Police were presented with a  discontinued call from JJL’s mobile. On playback, Jayden was heard to say  “hello” followed by “can you hear me?” before contact was lost. North Wales  Police made attempts to contact the mobile number from which the  discontinued call was made but were unsuccessful.  

Attempts by North Wales Police to establish who the mobile number belonged  to were limited and they did not contact Mountain Rescue until 19.38hrs. At  that point, the following actions were agreed between North Wales Police and  Mountain Rescue:  
1.  Can the Police ascertain the name associated with this phone?  
2.  What do North Wales Police know about the person who made the call? 3.  What is the address associated with the mobile number. Once the 
address is known, can officers visit and discover whether a person from  that address is believed or known to be in the North Wales area and  planning to climb a mountain, particularly Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon? 
4.  Is there a vehicle associated with this person?  
5.  If there is a vehicle, is there any ANPR data for this vehicle?  
6.  Is the person believed to be alone or with others? 

The above intelligence enquiries had not been actioned in advance of contact  with Mountain Rescue. There is no organisational policy or procedure  available to guide staff in respect of the intelligence enquiries that should be  considered in circumstances such as those with which NWP were presented 
in this case.  

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows: 
1.  Evidence identified that not all service failures had been recognised or  recorded as areas requiring improvement e.g there is no organisational
policy or procedure in place to guide call handlers, call centre  supervisors or others within the Force when responding to calls from  remote, mountainous locations and no training is provided. A lack of  guidance, training and documented process raises a potential for risks  in the future.  
2.  The systems in place for sharing identified learning were inadequate.  Evidence identified that learning arising from this incidnent was shared 
primarily through discussions with individual members of staff. This may lead to inconsistent messaging and a difference in understanding.    
3.  No evidence was available as to whether identified learning had been
formally recorded or disseminated more widely across the Force.  
4.  Whether calls received by North Wales Police are routinely audited was
not known. This raises a concern that service failures are not routinely  identified and addressed.  

I also may send a copy of the report to any other person who I believe may  find it useful or of interest. 

I can confirm I have sent the report to: 
[please do not use individual’s names, but instead roles/titles] 
1.North Wales Police  
2. Family of Jayden Jackson Long 
3. Family of Eddie Joseph Hill  

I also have a duty to send a copy of the report to the Chief Coroner. 

You may make representations to me, the coroner, about the publication of the contents of this report in line with Chief Coroner’s PFD Publication Policy  (2026). Any representations will be sent to the Chief Coroner alongside the  report. Please refer to box 4 above for additional information relating to the  publication of reports and responses.