A British tourist has drowned in the sea off the coast of Tenerife a day before his 30th birthday.
Nicholas Desmond, 29, had landed in the Canary Islands just hours before getting into trouble in the water.
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He had flown to Tenerife on the morning of July 29 to celebrate his birthday before disaster 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 dying.
A GoFundMe has now been launched by his devastated friends to help his body fly back home to rest.
In tribute to her boyfriend, Sacha Pugsley, 29, said: “He was very bubbly, very outgoing. He always had a helping hand for everyone.
“He would literally walk the world for me if he could. He was always happy, always bubbly.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a time when he was upset. He would never bring anyone down.’
The fundraiser aims to raise £10,000 to cover the cost of Nicholas’ repatriation to Cardiff from Tenerife.
A post on the page said: “On the day of July 29, we lost our Nicky after he was rescued from the sea in the south of Tenerife.
“The night before the 30th birthday our boy was taken from us to fly his wings, the tragic accident had left a mark on us. I want to gather as much as possible to get him back from Spain and let him rest at home we he belongs to it.
“The cost to bring him home is extremely high, let’s bring him back. The unexpected death of a child is an unimaginable loss for which no one could prepare.
“Every parent’s greatest fear is the loss of their child. It happened so suddenly and I know that nothing will ever fill the void in their hearts.
“He was such a beautiful soul, a brother, a son loved by all who met him, left us too soon.
“Our dear friends and the Gabalfa community have suffered a significant loss from the recent passing of their dear friend Nicky.
“While we cannot take their pain away, we can help this loving family with the many financial burdens they now face.
“Please consider donating while they lay their son to rest and take the time to grieve.”
On the day of his 30th birthday, a colorful balloon was released in memory of Nicky.
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