A 21 year old Irish backpacker, Robby Kinlan, originally from Clare, was sadly found dead in his hotel room on Thailand's infamous 'Death Island'. His family described their heartbreak as they cherished the memory of a son who was "living the dream."
Robby was found by a friend on January 9 lying on his bed only wearing his boxer shorts and could not be revived.
In an eerie detail, he clutched his phone which was being charged when he passed away. The local police station on Koh Tao, located around 250 miles south of Bangkok is awaiting calmer seas to transfer Robby's body to Surat Thani province for post-mortem.
Robby's grieving mother Tracy King expressed her sorrow: "Rest in peace my precious son Robby. He is resting in this beautiful Temple in Koh Tao, Thailand, before his removal back to Ireland."
She continued with heartfelt gratitude amidst her pain: "I'm heartbroken and overwhelmed and so very grateful for all the kindness being shown to us at this time. Thanks to all friends and family.", reports the Irish Mirror.
Robby was remembered fondly by those who knew him: "Robby wasn't just a friend - he was the kind of person who lit up every room with his kindness and warmth. He was always the first to help others, putting their needs before his own without a second thought."
His diving passion was also highlighted by his loving mother: "In Thailand, he was surrounded by many friends and he was living his dream, spending his days doing what he loved - freediving and scuba diving in the place that made him happy.
"Now, we want to honour Robby in the best way we can by helping his mum and family. We want to give everyone the chance to say their goodbyes and celebrate the incredible person he was."
The family of Robby have initiated a fundraising appeal to gather funds for repatriating Robby's body back to his homeland for burial. If this is not possible, he will be cremated at a Buddhist temple.
They shared that Robby had journeyed to Asia and was 'living the dream', pursuing his passion for scuba diving and free diving. Despite its notorious reputation for murders and unexplained deaths, Koh Tao attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually due to its stunning marine life.
Officers revealed today that Robby was residing at the BaanTao Bungalow Resort, less than two miles from Sairee Beach where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered in September 2014. Lieutenant Colonel Theeraphat Sanjai stated: "The death seems to be acute heart failure. We are preparing to send the body for an autopsy, but the reason we haven't been able to send it yet is due to the high waves on Koh Tao at the moment."
He added: "We need to wait for the situation with the waves to subside before we can coordinate with the rescue team, boat, and vehicle to transport the body to the forensic department in Surat Thani Hospital. We also want to conduct the autopsy as soon as possible to determine the exact cause of death.
"His mate, who had known him for five to six years from their hometown, discovered his body on January 9 around 11 am. The friend knocked on his door but received no response, so he went to get staff to check. When they arrived, the staff couldn't open the door because it was locked from the inside.
"They had to find a way to climb in and discovered that he had died in the room. The room hadn't been broken into or searched, and there were no signs of any assault".
His friend confirmed that he didn't know if he had any pre-existing medical conditions. "Currently, the body is still at Koh Tao. We haven't yet received any contact from his relatives. The embassy is in touch with them, and we're still waiting for communication from his family.
"When he passed away, he was still lying in bed, charging his phone and holding it in his hand, as if he had been using it when he died. He was only wearing boxer shorts. We couldn't see what was on the phone.
"There were no alcoholic beverages found in his room, though we're not sure if he had been drinking from outside. Personally, when I entered the room to find the body, I didn't smell alcohol, just a musty odour. We have reported the matter to the Irish Embassy in Bangkok."
Dozens of unexplained deaths of young tourists have been linked to the island over the years, earning it the grim nickname 'Death Island'.
The most notorious deaths on Koh Tao occurred in September 2014 when British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally killed on the beach by a suspected local serial killer. Despite two Burmese workers being accused of the murders, many locals, authors, and documentary makers have pointed to evidence suggesting that the son of a prominent local family was responsible.
Allegations have been made that the police concealed the truth to safeguard the family and the tourism sector.
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