Pictured: Two British 'gentle, kind-hearted souls' who drowned in Portuguese hotel swimming pool as friends launch fundraiser to bring their bodies back home

Daily Mail​

19 hours ago

Tributes have poured in for two British holidaymakers who drowned in a hotel swimming pool while on holiday in Portugal.
The friends from Ipswich, named as King Edonmi and his 27-year-old pal Mo, had travelled to the resort town of Albufeira earlier this week.
Tragically, the pair lost their lives 'less than 24 hours after arriving,' according to a GoFundMe page set up by friends.
'What was supposed to be sunshine and laughter turned into heartbreak no one could have imagined,' a statement on the page read.
Friends of Mo and King described the pair as 'gentle, kind-hearted souls who brought light into every room they entered.'
The tribute went on: '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.'
Friend Awande Luthuli told Portuguese daily newspaper Correio da Manha that the two men were 'loving, cheerful, and respectful, truly good souls, without a trace of malice.'
'They had travelled as part of a group and met up with friends who lived in Portugal.
'They both lived by strong principles and values, including the choice of not drinking,' he said.
Another friend said on Facebook that he had spoken to the two men just days before they left for Portugal, saying they had been 'so excited' for the holiday.
The GoFundMe page has so far raised £12,000 of its £20,000 target.
Local media reports that the men were holidaying with friends before entering the pool in the early hours of July 15.
Emergency services were called to the scene but were unable to revive the men, according to reports.
Police said earlier this week that the men's deaths were not being treated as suspicious.
An FCDO Spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the families of two British men who have died in Portugal and are in contact with the local authorities.'
The tragedy comes after the death of another British holidaymaker in the Algarve resort.
Scots tourist Greg Monks was tragically found dead near Albufeira town centre after going missing at the end of May.
The 38-year-old plant mechanic from Glasgow is believed to have lost his life after jumping over a wall and falling down a steep hillside during a stag do night out with friends.
A search for him was launched on May 28 and his parents and girlfriend Nicole Kelso flew to Albufeira to help with the efforts to find him.
Around four hours before Greg's body was found by police, another young British tourist was found dead in Albufeira, at the back of a residential block below a steep drop near the Old Town.
In July 2023 a 27-year-old British tourist drowned at the Paraiso Hotel in Albufeira.