The sister of a man who drowned in Portugal has said he died while trying to save his best friend in the water.
King Edonmi, 29, and Mo Liasu, 27, both from Ipswich, died less than 24 hours after arriving on holiday in Albufeira, on the south coast of Portugal.
They are believed to have drowned in a hotel swimming pool on 15 July.
In a statement online, King’s sister Kemi Edonmi said: “My best friend is really gone.
“Rest in peace to my big brother and his best friend Mo, we love you and will never forget you both.”
She also wrote that King “died trying to save his friend’s life”.
She added that reports suggesting the two had been drinking were false, saying: “My brother and Mo do not drink and were not intoxicated at the time of the incident.”
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A GoFundMe fundraiser for the repatriation of their bodies and to support their families has raised more than £24,500 as of 9pm on Friday – well above its £20,000 target.
Organiser Angelo Antonio wrote that the two “were more than friends to us” and “were brothers to many,” before adding: “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.”
Mr Antonio then said that the total cost of returning their bodies to the UK would be more than £10,000.
He added: “Repatriation involves complex legal paperwork, international funeral care and transportation costs no family is ever prepared for, especially not under such heartbreaking circumstances.”
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A spokesperson for Portugal’s criminal investigation police said the incident is not being treated as suspicious.
“The inspection of the scene revealed no evidence of criminal activity,” they added. “Witnesses to the events were interviewed, confirming the investigation’s belief that it was an accident.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson also said: “We are supporting the families of two British men who have died in Portugal and are in contact with the local authorities.”
