A SON desperately clung to the roof of a submerged Land Rover, trying in vain to rescue his father and two pals trapped inside.
Horrified Rob Forbes watched as the 4×4 was swept off into the River Esk, an inquest heard.
Scott Thomas Daddy, 28, Leslie Forbes, 70, and Kenneth Patrick Hibbins, 59, died in the tragedy on December 28 last year.
An inquest in Northallerton heard the swollen river was three and a half feet higher than usual at the crossing near Glaisdale when the group attempted to cross.
The hearing was told the men, who were all experienced 4×4 drivers, were part of a “green laning” day event – often referred to as off-roading, but on public rights of way – organised by their 4×4 club.
When they came to the ford at Rake Lane, Mr Forbes’s son Robert Forbes, who was also in the vehicle, said they concluded “as a group” that it would be safe to cross.
He got out of the 4×4 and crossed a bridge on foot to take pictures of it crossing from the other side, the inquest heard.
Robert Gibb, who was in the vehicle behind Mr Forbes, said he got out of his car at the ford and “thought it looked a bit dodgy to drive through” because he could see “white, horses, like waves breaking over where you actually drive through”.
But before he could voice his concerns Mr Forbes had already started moving forward.
Attempting to recall the harrowing tragedy on December 28, Robert Forbes was still so traumatised he was initially unable to speak and appeared to be having breathing difficulties.
The inquest heard the Land Rover, driven by Mr Forbes with Mr Daddy and Mr Hibbins in the front and rear passengers’ side seats, made it about halfway across the river before it started to be swept away.
It floated downstream and sank, with emergency services only able to find it because Robert Forbes was on the roof trying to rescue his father and friends, the coroner was told.
Robert Forbes jumped into the freezing River Esk and tried to enter the vehicle as it was carried away by the torrent.
The 4×4 was in around 9ft of water and Robert Forbes was submerged to chest-height.
He doggedly clung onto a ladder above the rear bumper, struggling to open the doors, until the vehicle was completely submerged and he was pulled barely conscious to safety by firefighters.
The car had floated downstream and sunk around 100m from the ford, near a farm, and its three occupants drowned.
Robert Forbes said he and his father were very experienced green laners and had crossed that particular ford “several times”.
His statement, read at the hearing, said: “Once we got to Rake ford the river was high but I thought it would be crossable.
“I had crossed fords similar to this in the past with the same water height successfully and did not think there would be any issues.”
His statement described how the vehicle “made it about halfway before it started to be taken off”.
“The river water was too fast flowing and took the vehicle off course,” he said.
Robert Forbes’s statement described how he threw his phone on the riverbank and got into the river “as quick as I could” before standing on the rear bumper holding onto the ladder.
He said he could hear Mr Daddy saying: “I’ll smash a window,” but the inquest heard the men were unable to smash the windows, which could not be opened as they were electronically operated and did not work when the engine was off.
They could not open the doors either due to the pressure of the water, it was said.
Robert Forbes’s statement detailed his desperate attempts to rescue the three men from the Land Rover, trying to open the door and catch a strap thrown by someone from the riverbank, which sunk before it could reach him.
His statement read: “It was my intention to stay on the car until emergency services arrived and could get them out. I couldn’t face to leave the car and let the guys down.”
The inquest heard Robert Forbes was rescued by farmers and firefighters before being taken to hospital, but his statement said he had no recollection of it.
“I don’t recall much after that, I don’t remember how I got off the vehicle, I remember having hold of the rope, I think someone had pulled me out of the water but I’m not entirely sure how it happened,” he said.
A firefighter who attended the scene told the inquest the car had been submerged for about an hour by the time they arrived at the remote location, and recovery efforts were hindered by the fast-moving, cold deep water.
Police Constable Matthew Townfield of North Yorkshire Police, who investigated the scene, said the vehicle had been fitted with a dog cage which was “likely to have hindered any escape or rescue attempt”.
A pathologist concluded all three men died as a result of drowning.
Mr Leach recorded a conclusion of misadventure.
