British teen dies while canyoning in Italian Alps

A British teen has died after a canyoning accident in the Italian Alps on Sunday afternoon.

Elliot Peacock, 15, from Newton Mearns, Scotland, was on a Scouts adventure holiday at the time, and had arrived at the Lillaz Falls, near Cogne, earlier in the day by bus from a nearby campsite.

Outside education provider Acorn Adventure said he was part of a group jumping into water under instruction.

According to the BBC, a company statement read: "On this particular occasion, the group were jumping from a height of approximately 60cm into the water, where instructors were waiting for them, as is normal.

"As this participant entered the water for the second time, it was obvious to the instructors that something was wrong, so they rescued him from the water immediately.

"There was no obvious contact with a rock or anything else, so the reason for losing consciousness remains unexplained.

"Instructors who are trained first aiders and nurses who were also at the scene began CPR and continued until the air ambulance arrived 10 minutes after being called.

"Very sadly, they were unable to resuscitate him."

A helicopter was scrambled to the scene and paramedics also attempted to revive him for an hour, to no avail.

A mountain rescue spokesman told the Mirror: "He was in a group with a number of other British children and adults.

"I'm not sure if it was a school party or some other organised trip.

"He was wearing a helmet and suit and appears to have got into some sort of difficulty while jumping between the waterfalls that are there in the river."

According to the Express, the spokesman added: "The initial theory is that he smashed into some sort of obstruction.

"Paramedics were quickly on the scene but there was nothing they could do. He was declared dead at the scene."

Elliot was a member of the Pegasus Explorer Scout Unit, which is linked to the 35th Glasgow Scout Group.

Andrew Gardiner, founder and managing director of Acorn Adventure, who organised the trip itinerary for the Scout Association holiday, told the BBC: "We are all profoundly saddened by this tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy.

"Our priority is to ensure we do all we can to help them by working with the various organisations involved to understand how this happened."

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