Harrowing last moment of student who stepped off cliff
A friend has described the harrowing last moments of a young student who died after accidentally stepping off a cliff.
In August, Oxford University student Simone Norowzian, 21, was staying with friends at an Airbnb in Margate, on England’s southeast coast, when she climbed over a railing to access the beach.
According to an inquest into her death, her friend William Hayman then heard a “short, sharp scream” as she accidentally walked off a seaside cliff.
KentOnline reports a statement from Mr Hayman read during the inquest said they had gone outside after a game of Truth or Dare.
“We decided to go to bed and Simone wanted a cigarette. She and I walked out into the car park and I realised she was very intoxicated,” he said in the statement.
“She was ahead of me by about 10 metres and walked towards the fence where the viewing binoculars were.
“As I shouted that there was a cliff, I heard a short, sharp scream.”
Mr Hayman said he yelled her name repeatedly before frantically calling an ambulance.
Young woman’s death ‘preventable and avoidable’
KentOnline reports Ms Norowzian’s sister Claire said she was a sensible woman and the death was preventable.
“She couldn’t clearly assess the danger. She thought she was climbing over the barrier to a hill to the beach,” the sister said.
“We believe her death was preventable and avoidable. We believe it is the council’s responsibility to prevent such a tragedy from being repeated.”
According to The Sun, Luke Glover, who works at the Thanet District Council, said the barriers were “what you would expect along a modern coastline”.
“It’s not often you would see people on the upper promenade at night,” he said.
“It’s probably better than a lot of areas in the UK in terms of clifftop safety.
“There are no defects with the lighting at that spot.”
Coroner Joanne Andrews told the inquest the death was “nothing other than a tragic accident”.
A JustGiving page established following Simone’s death described her as a “true bright star”.
“We are truly heartbroken,” the page says.
“But we are lucky enough to remember her as an inspirational daughter, sister and aunty. She was a true bright star, full of light and passion who was going to set the world alight.”
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