Ian Beecroft - Sad News

We are sad to announce tha tour good friend Ian Beecroft has sadly past away.

This was the note posted on facebook from Dave Manby and Peter Knowles (Slime Dai)

Ian Beecroft – sad news.

I am terribly sad to have to tell everyone that our friend Ian Beecroft has died whilst kayaking the Tsrarap Chu in Ladakh, India, on Sunday 2nd September. The limited information that we have is that Ian drowned on the Tsarap Chu downstream of Phugtal Monastery and some 40km from the village and small district centre of Padum. The rest of the team are well and we are told that his body has been recovered and is now being repatriated. We do not know the circumstances of the accident.

Ian was leading a small team of international kayakers on an expedition down the Tsarap Chu and then on through the Grand Canyon of the Zanskar. This is one of the World’s classic long white water rivers expeditions – an 8 day trip 200km with some class 4 and 5 white water, all self supported in one of the most remote and spectacular parts of the Himalayas.

Ian was a vastly experienced white water kayaker – he had paddled many of the major rivers of the Himalayas and was the co-author of the guidebook ‘White Water South Alps’. He shared his love of rivers through this forum under “croft” and many kayakers all over the World will have paddled with him and enjoyed his enthusiasm for life - a life that sadly is no more. We grieve for him and our hearts and thoughts go out to his wife and family.

Dave Manby and Peter Knowles.

We have all been shocked to hear the terrible news about Ian this morning. All our thoughts are with your wife, family and friends. You were a good friend to us, support us in creating our new company, gave us ideas, chatted about all your kayaking expeditions, we have some great memories of you and will always talk of you fondly. The kayaking community will always remember you as one of the best who conquered so many of the Himalayan rivers (Trisuli, Seti, Bhote Kosi, Thule Bheri, Tamur, Bheri, Sun Kosi,Doda, Zanskar, Indus, Ganges, Kali, Marsyandi, Kaligandaki, Karnali, Rangit, Rangpo, Teesta, Bramaputra, Alaknanda, Mandakini and Tsarap Chu to name a few!) . Once again the river has taken a loved one far to soon. I know how much you wanted to do this trip, but we are deeply sadden it has ended in such a tragic way. All our love from Maila, Chrissy and Kali

Kayaking was your passion, but you were always the adventurer!

Click here to read more about Ian's adventures.