A Royal Marine from Bury St Edmunds fell to his death in a climbing accident in the Scottish Highlands, an inquest heard.  

The inquest into the death of Colour Sergeant Richard Melia, 40, concluded at Suffolk Coroners’ Court in Ipswich on Friday, November 24.  

CSgt Melia was climbing on the mountain Buachaille Etive Mòr with a friend on April 8 this year when he lost his footing.  

The court heard that the friend saw CSgt Melia slip on a moss-covered rock, causing him to fall. It has been reported that he fell more than 160 feet.  

The court heard that the injuries CSgt sustained were “unsurvivable”.  

A GoFundMe page to raise funds for CSgt Melia’s family was launched in the days after his death.  

The page described him as a “war hero” with a kind heart who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The page said that he left behind a wife and a young daughter, and was expecting a second child at the time of his death. 

Senior coroner for Suffolk Nigel Parsley recorded a conclusion of accidental death.