The family of a man who died in Vietnam hours after arriving in the country have flown out to seek answers about his death.
Darren Blair, described as a ‘pillar’ of Nottingham though his work with the city’s music scene, passed away in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, in the early hours of September 26.
His sibling, Catherine Nichol, says Darren’s family have been given two different stories about the events leading up to his death at just 31 years old.
Catherine claims to have been initially told by the Embassy of Vietnam in London that Darren passed away at 5:30 am in hospital, after he was found unconscious but breathing outside a nightclub.
But she said the embassy later told her that staff at the nightclub tried to wake him up after fell asleep on a sofa in the club.
Darren Blair (pictured) was just 31 when he passed away in Hanoi, Vietnam
He was on holiday in the country, taking a break after spending time in Japan for work
In the second version of events, emergency services then took him to hospital and he is said to have died at 6:40 am.
The embassy reportedly told his family that the only possessions he had were his bank card and a key fob for his hotel room.
His family don’t know where his phone is, or where his other possessions are.
An autopsy on his body has not yet been performed, leaving Darren’s family with more questions that answers.
Catherine is one of several of Darren’s relatives who flew out to Hanoi on Sunday to press authorities for concrete answers.
‘There are a million things going through my head and the embassy aren’t helping me, so we’re flying out to sort this. We just need some answers,’ she told NottinghamshireLive.
Darren, who worked for eight years with the company responsible for the worldwide Disney on Ice tour, had just finished working in Japan and decided to take a week-long break in Vietnam before the tour was due to move again.
After he arrived in Vietnam on September 25, Nottinghamshire Police visited his parents and broke the news that he had passed away the following day.
On top of the lack of answers, the family face huge financial pressures, as they may have to pay tens of thousands of pounds to repatriate his body.
The family were reportedly given an estimated cost of getting Darren’s body back of £20,000 to £30,000, but they said that the final bill to sort all his affairs will likely cost £50,000.
A GoFundMe page set up to help pay for costs has raised over £22,000 at time of publication.
This is complicated by the fact that his family do not know whether he was covered by travel insurance at the time of his death.
Catherine described her late brother as a ‘pillar’ of Nottingham. He worked on events at Nottingham’s Ice Arena from the age of 18, and managed several local bands while he worked abroad.
Comments under the family’s GoFundMe page speak of his connection to the city.
One reads: ‘I met Darren last year, and he was the greatest, just a great, amazing guy. Always happy and upbeat, he will be sorely missed by all who he met in his exciting life. I considered him a brother and will sorely miss him.’
Another said: ‘I remember Darren very fondly from working with him at I’m Not From London. Thank you, Darren. For all your energy and enthusiasm. It was a pleasure knowing you. No doubt you’ll be missed by so many people.’
MailOnline has contacted Vietnam’s embassy in London for comment.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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