Two British tourists who died after reportedly jumping into a pool on the first night of their holiday in Portugal have been named and pictured for the first time.
Mo, 27, and King, 29, were pronounced dead after being found at the bottom of a swimming pool at a resort in Albufeira. Emergency services were called at around 4am on July 15 but resuscitation attempts failed. A local newspaper, Correio da Manhã, claimed the men had been drinking and did not know how to swim and subsequently drowned.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up for the two men to help return their bodies to the UK.
The fundraiser, which is based in Ipswich, stated: “On what was meant to be a joyful holiday in Portugal, our two dear friends Mo and King tragically lost their lives less than 24 hours after arriving. What was supposed to be sunshine and laughter turned into heartbreak no one could have imagined.
“Mo, 27, and King, 29, were more than friends to us. They were brothers to many. Gentle, kind-hearted souls who brought light into every room they entered. The kind of people who would drop everything to help you, no questions asked.
“They were warm, loyal, funny and full of dreams. The sort of men you never hear a bad word about because there simply were none.
“They were deeply devoted to their families, their friends and their faith. And now, all of that has been taken so suddenly and so unfairly.”
It added that their family members had been left with the “overwhelming cost” to bring their sons home, with the figure quoted being £10,000.
They added that Mo and King were “loved more than words” and at the time of writing, more than £12,000 had been raised.
After the tragedy, the police said there was no suspicion of foul play, and it was the latest devastating incident involving British tourists in Albuferia in recent times.
Scottish man Greg Monks, a 38-year-old plant mechanic, went missing on May 28 before he died after jumping over a wall and falling down a steep hill during a stag night out. He was found on June 4.
And hours before his body was discovered, another British tourist, just 21, was found dead behind a residential building below a drop near the Old Town in Alburfeira. He has not been named and he reportedly became disoriented after drinking with his friends.
To make a donation to help bring Mo and King home, you can do so here