King Edonmi, aged 29, and Mo Liasu, aged 27, both from Ipswich in England, drowned in the swimming pool of an aparthotel in Albufeira on July 15, less than 24 hours after arriving in the Algarve.
The British men were with a group of friends when the incident occurred. It was their first night in Portugal; both were reportedly intoxicated and unable to swim.
Another friend alerted authorities after finding King and Mo at the bottom of the pool.
The British tourists were subjected to resuscitation attempts by the medical teams on site, but they could not be saved. The deaths were declared at the scene.
Although authorities were called to the aparthotel, from the outset it appeared to be a tragic accident. The bodies were taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine for autopsies.
“My best friend is gone. He died trying to save his friend”
On social media, King Edonmi’s sister posted a tribute to her brother, revealing he died trying to save his friend.
“My best friend is gone. Rest in peace, my big brother and his best friend, Mo. We love you and will never forget you,” wrote Kemi Edonmi, adding that King “died trying to save his friend’s life.”
She also insisted that King and Mo “were not drunk” contrary to reports by authorities. “My brother and Mo did not drink. They were not intoxicated at the time of the accident,” she stated in her post.
Meanwhile, a family friend created an online fundraising campaign to repatriate the bodies of the two friends from Portugal to England.
The organizer, Angelo Antonio, highlighted that King and Mo “were more than friends,” “they were brothers to many people,” “they were caring, loyal, funny, and full of dreams.”
The campaign, which has since closed, surpassed its target, raising a total of 25,000 pounds, equivalent to nearly 22,000 euros.
After expressing gratitude for the support shown by everyone, Angelo revealed that the bodies of the two friends would soon return to England “so that they can rest with the love, dignity, and peace they so deserve.”
Preparations for King and Mo’s funeral are underway, though no details on the final farewell have been disclosed yet.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the unwavering support, the beautiful words, and the love shown. It meant so much more than words can express,” concluded the petition’s creator.
It should be noted that the tragic accident that claimed King and Mo’s lives occurred in the early hours of July 15 at an aparthotel in Albufeira. The alert was raised at 4:41 a.m.
