A NORTH-EAST university student plunged 14 floors to his death when he stepped through open lift doors without realising it was not there.
Toby Mann, 18, was on a gap-year trip to Argentina, in March. A friend heard him crying for help and tried to save him after the fall, but Mr Mann died the next day from multiple injuries.
An inquest in Bourne-mouth was told that Mr Mann, whose parents live near Salisbury, Wiltshire, was in Buenos Aires with friend, Timothy Bradley.
He intended to return to Britain where he was a student at Newcastle University.
The inquest heard that the two friends had spent Saturday, March 13, shopping, swimming and sailing before returning to an apartment belonging to a friend.
In a statement, Mr Bradley said he was locking the door of the apartment as Mr Mann headed for the lift. When he turned around, he could not see his friend but realised the lift door was open.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded.
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