[Loop1]

On July 13, 2017 at 9:40 am, a young British backpacker drowned in Cambodia after he was dragged underwater while using an inflatable rubber ring. The victim, 21, from Somerset, was last seen desperately waving his arms for help as he struggled in water in the Kampot district of southern Cambodia.

The non-swimmer had jumped into the river with friends, moments before he found himself losing a battle to survive.

The victim, who had been travelling Asia as a barman, is understood to have slipped through the rubber ring and was pulled under the surface.

Onlookers said they saw his hands sticking out of the water before he was swept away by the river, outside the High Tide guesthouse.

The victim’s father said he was 'broken beyond words, [the victim] had a young brother and younger sister who absolutely adored him. They're distraught, I'm distraught, his friends and work colleagues are. Everyone who knew him is devastated.

'How is someone supposed to come to terms with this? My son has just died, he was only 21. I can't even process what has happened.’

'We had lost contact for a number of years after me and his mother separated. But he came back into my life and we were close, like any father and son.

'He couldn't swim. What on earth he was doing in a river I don't know. Even on holiday in Tenerife he would only go in the shallow end.'

The victim had been traveling Asia for a number of months as a barman

'Who the hell let him go in the water? What was he doing in that situation and why did nobody stop him? These are answers we'll never know. Right now I can't accept that he just drowned like that, as he couldn't even swim.'

The victim’s friend told police he had used the inflatable rings a number of times before.

A source at the hotel said it had been raining at the time and recent downpours had swelled the fast-flowing river and made the current stronger.

They said 'That morning he was happy, floating with the inflatable air bags. He had just been drinking a coffee at breakfast.'

'Out of nowhere he sank into the water and just his hands were waving for help. Two staff jumped in to help but unfortunately it was too late. The flow of the water was strong. The victim was washed away in the vast water surface.'

Inflatable black tubes are popular among tourists in South East Asia who use them to float in rivers.

The hotel had a number of them available for guests to use and a small bamboo raft attached by a rope that guests could sit on.

Police arrived a short time later and recovered the body some 10 meters from the guesthouse.

The victim was hauled ashore and covered in a white sheet as locals said prayers and lit candles and incense sticks.

[Carach Angren]

Don't understand he just went into the water whilst not being able to swim

[Cheerio]

I think the weight of all that metal in his face pulled him under.

[1/2Woman1/2Man]

Oh no a dead British guy (cries) next please

[NUUDLZ]

Learn to swim before you get in the water !!!

[wildaxboxer]

How can you get through all your school years, and just sink like a brick in any deep water... RIP

[chode_smoker]

Fuck me, I'm not surprised he couldn't swim. Absolutely no boyancy what so ever!!

[docfr8]

in order for a pack to float you have to waterproof it, typically with a "WP" (Willy Pete) or water proofing bag... If he would have learned a simple doggy paddle, the dude may still be alive today

[richy_dong]

stupid fucker. Learning to swim was one of the first things my parents introduced me to. Think I was a toddler. Would've helped this dude, even if it's just treading water

[Meridian]

Pretty rare not to know how to swim by his age. It's standard practice in British schools to take kids swimming, even if parents haven't. He clearly wasn't afraid of water as he went in.