Father of Brisbane photographer Christopher Ian Powell reveals family’s heartbreak of losing loved son

The father of a Brisbane photographer who plunged to his death has revealed the family’s heartbreak after the horrific incident.

The father of a Brisbane photographer who fell to his death from an elevated work platform has revealed how his family continues to mourn his loss six years on from the tragedy.

The touching video statement came as a coronial inquest into the 2015 death of Christopher Ian Powell wrapped up in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Brisbane photographer Christopher Powell died from a tragic fall following a crane collapse in 2015.

Mr Powell died after falling 40m from an elevated platform attached to a crane, which collapsed on December 14, 2015.

At the time, he was taking photographs of a construction site from an elevated working platform (EWP).

On Wednesday, a video statement prepared by his father Ian Powell was played to the court.

The inquest into Mr Powell’s death will not look at potential negligence but instead look at recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future, the coroner has said.

“For 16 years Christopher Powell had excelled as a professional photographer with expertise in aerial imaging,” Ian Powell said.

“All his family, his wife and three children, continue to mourn his loss.”

He revealed how his son had built up a successful aerial photography business since 1999, starting with only a helium blimp.

Footage of the crane collapse in Newstead in 2015. Picture: 10 News

“When he died, there were six to eight firms in southeast Queensland doing similar work,” Ian said.

“As a testament to his skill, Christopher’s company had about 60 per cent of the market.”

Coroner Donald MacKenzie is yet to set a date when he will hand down his findings.

On Tuesday, the inquest was told the crane was parked on land that was like a “pie crust” due to a layer of soft clay underneath a firm-looking surface.

Dr Paul Carnavas, a forensic engineering consultant, said the bearing area of the ground pad beneath one of the EWP’s stabilisers was undersized and the operator over-estimated the “permissible ground pressure”, which led to the collapse.