Brit tourist dies after heart attack while attempting to swim a mile across lake in Italy

A BRITISH tourist has drowned while trying to swim a mile across a lake with his family.

Gary Wood, 37, suffered a heart attack and was tied to a buoy by relatives before they swam off for help.

But rescuers were initially unable to find Gary on Lake Garda near Salo, Italy.

Divers finally located his body with sonar and he was declared dead once he was lifted 60ft to the surface on Saturday.

A German tourist also died the same day on the lake, where PM Theresa May is due to arrive for a holiday today.

Gary, from Theydon Bois, Essex, had been trying to swim to the Island of Rabbits with his mum, wife, sister and brother-in-law.

But 6ft waves and high winds made it difficult and his mum and wife soon turned back.

Gary and the others were a third of a mile from the island when he had a heart attack.

His sister and brother-in-law tried to resuscitate him with mouth-to-mouth for ten minutes before swimming to shore and raising the alarm.

Diver Luigi Mazzardi said: “They were in danger of drowning themselves. Saturday was a very sad day on the lake. It wasn’t the best conditions for swimming at the time.”

Gary’s brother Darren said last night: “My mum is heartbroken.’’