Brit tourist drowns in sea off Tenerife a day before his 30th birthday as devastated friends pay tribute to ‘bubbly’ pal
A BRIT tourist has drowned in the sea off the coast of Tenerife a day before his 30th birthday.
Nicholas Desmond, 29, had touched down in the Canary Islands just hours before he got into difficulty in the water.
He had flew out to Tenerife on the morning of July 29 to celebrate his birthday before tragedy struck.
The 29-year-old, from Gabalfa, Cardiff, was rescued from the sea in Callao Salvaje after emergency services rushed to the scene.
Nicholas, known as Nicky, was flown to Adeje and taken to a nearby hospital via a waiting ambulance before sadly passing away.
A GoFundMe has now been launched by his devastated pals to help fly his body back home to rest.
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Paying tribute to her friend, Sacha Pugsley, 29, said: "He was very bubbly, very outgoing. He always had a helping hand for everybody.
"He would literally walk the world for me if he could. He was always happy, always bubbly.
"I don't think I'd ever seen a time where he was upset. He'd never bring anybody down."
The fundraiser is aiming to raise £10,000 to cover the cost of repatriating Nicholas to Cardiff from Tenerife.
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A post on the page said: "On the day of 29th July we lost our Nicky after he was rescued from the sea in south of Tenerife.
"The night before 30th birthday our boy was taken from us sent to fly his wings, the tragic accident had left a mark on us all I want to raise as much I can to bring him back from Spain and lay him to rest at home where he belongs.
"The expenses to bring him home are extremely high let’s bring him back. The unexpected death of a child is an unimaginable loss that no one could prepare for.
"Every parent's greatest fear is the loss of their child. It happened so suddenly and I know nothing will ever fill the void in their hearts.
"He was such a beautiful soul, a brother, a son loved by all that met him, has left us too soon.
"Our beloved friends & The Gabalfa community have suffered a significant loss with the recent passing of their precious friend Nicky.
"While we cannot take away their pain, we can help this loving family with the many financial burdens they now face.
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"Please consider donating as they lay their son to rest and take the time away to grieve."
A colourful balloon release was held in Nicky's memory on the day of his 30th birthday.
