A young woman who had made her home in Britain has died after reportedly plunging more than 98ft from a waterfall in Sri Lanka in front of her horrified friend.
Valentina Stragliotto, 27, was exploring the island nation when she is understood to have lost her balance while standing on a boulder at Kithal Ella waterfall, near the popular tourist town of Ella. The traveller, who lived in Brighton and had visited 33 countries, suffered catastrophic injuries after hitting the rocks below.
Rescue and hospital
Rescuers rushed her to Demodara Hospital, but she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. The tragedy took place on Thursday, September 24, while Valentina was on holiday with a friend, according to reports. Italian media said she fell more than 30 metres as her friend watched helplessly.
Police reportedly said Valentina had been visiting the waterfall when she slipped and hit rocks beneath her. Ella Police launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
A life in Brighton
Originally from Bassano del Grappa, in Italy's northern province of Vicenza, Valentina had made Brighton her home after moving to Britain several years ago. She had built a successful career in digital marketing and described herself professionally as a senior specialist in search engine optimisation and online advertising.
Valentina was also a certified confidence coach and ran Aligned & Free, a business aimed at helping people overcome self-doubt and become more assertive in their careers. She had spoken at the BrightonSEO conference and served on the British Interactive Media Association's Young Talent Council.
Travel and passions
Valentina also worked as a group travel coordinator for WeRoad, although reports said her trip to Sri Lanka was a private holiday rather than one she was leading for the company. Her company profile said she had visited 33 countries and spoke French, Italian, English and Spanish.
Alongside hiking and climbing, she listed dancing and discovering different cultures among her passions and described herself as “always up for an adventure or a good party”. She had also been sporty from a young age, competing in gymnastics and tennis while growing up in Italy.
Heartbreakingly, Valentina had previously described the outdoors as the place where she felt most at home and specifically wrote of her love for waterfalls. She said: “My place is in nature. I love hiking and climbing and I especially love waterfalls.”
Tributes
Tributes have poured in following the news of her death. Former classmate Rafael Marchese said he had been left “speechless” and filled with “great sorrow”. A colleague at WeRoad said the team was “shocked” by the tragedy.
