Mystery as 30-year-old British tourist is found dead, face down in a sewer in Cambodia
- British man, 30, was discovered by locals in Cambodia’s Kampot province
- Locals pulled him out of a sewer, but police pronounced him dead at the scene
A British tourist has been found dead in a sewer in Cambodia.
Charlie Gray, 30, from Bristol, was discovered Thursday afternoon by locals in Kampot province, about 90 miles from the capital Phnom Penh.
His family is now being supported by State Department officials, a spokesman said.
Gray was wearing a pair of black sneakers and black shorts, but had nothing on his upper body. Local residents tried to shake him awake, but he had no sign of life.
Residents had pulled him onto the grass next to the drainage ditch and turned him onto his back. He was surrounded by thick grass a few yards from the nearest road.
Shortly after he was found, police arrived around 4 p.m. local time. They pronounced him dead at the scene and his body was taken for a post-mortem examination.
The 30-year-old was discovered Thursday afternoon by locals in Kampot province, about 90 miles from the capital Phnom Penh (file image of the region)
Resident Bong Chea, one of the neighbours, who saw the victim’s body, said: ‘The man was dead when we found him. Someone moved him to see if he was alive and wake him up. He was already dead.
“No one knows how he fell into the sewer. We don’t even know who the man was. We hardly see foreigners here.’
Police believe the victim may have fallen face down into the sewer and drowned from swallowing the shallow water.
However, an officer today said his body could have been dumped in the ditch. They are now waiting for the results of his dead body to find the cause of death.
Officers from Krong Kampot district station said Charlie’s body was currently at Wat Teuk Thla temple in Phnom Penh.
Lieutenant Colonel Seang said, “The results of the autopsy will show how the foreigner died. If they show foul play, yes, we will investigate further.
“He could have fallen into the sewer and died. Yes, it’s possible he died somewhere else and his body was left in the sewers.’
A British Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Cambodia and are in contact with local authorities.”