Home World Cause of death of Irish backpacker found dead at Koh Tao ‘Death Island’ hotel revealed as heartbroken mother pays tribute

Cause of death of Irish backpacker found dead at Koh Tao ‘Death Island’ hotel revealed as heartbroken mother pays tribute

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Robby (left) pictured with his mother, Tracy, and brother, Tommy.

The cause of death of an Irish backpacker has been revealed after his body was found in his bed on the Thai island of Koh Tao.

Robby Kinlan, 21, from Quilty in Co. Clare, found dead with his phone in his hand and headphones in last week, his family said.

There was initially a mystery surrounding Robby’s sudden death, but in an interview with the Irish Daily Mail yesterday, the family said initial post-mortem results found he had died as a result of acute pulmonary heart failure.

The family hopes to obtain more concrete results in the coming weeks.

Speaking to the Mail, Robby’s mother Tracy King said her son’s “personality was his greatest talent” and described how he loved working with people and that his kindness and selflessness shone through with others.

Robby was found dead last Thursday on Koh Tao, which some refer to as “death island” due to the number of unexplained or suspicious tourist deaths there.

Robby had just completed an advanced diving course on the island and was “living his dream,” his friends said.

Paying tribute to her son, Mrs King said: “He was a freediver and a diving master.” He left there on November 20 of last year. He earned two titles in the short time he was there.’

She described her son as a “water baby” and diving was “all he wanted to do.”

She said of his death: ‘It was all very unexpected. He was in a very good place mentally and in his normal state.

Robby (left) pictured with his mother, Tracy, and brother, Tommy.

Robby was found dead last Thursday on Koh Tao, which some call

Robby was found dead last Thursday on Koh Tao, which some refer to as “death island” due to the number of unexplained or suspicious tourist deaths there.

Officers said Robby was staying at a resort less than two miles from Sairee Beach, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were beaten to death in September 2014, the incident that gave rise to the grim nickname

Officers said Robby was staying at a resort less than two miles from Sairee Beach, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were beaten to death in September 2014, the incident that gave rise to the grim nickname “Death Island.”

‘He was a real water baby since he started when he was 12 and spent a lot of time in Lahinch and then returned to Inis Mór last summer.

“He just walked in one day and said, ‘I’m going to Thailand. “I already booked the ticket. “It’s all I wanted to do. That’s where all the diving was done,” he said.

“He was doing very, very well there and he supported himself thanks to his (diving) qualifications. His personality was his talent, and I told him: ‘Robby, you have to be an actor or a bartender’ or someone who deals with the public of somehow’.

Robby’s older brother Tommy, 28, told the Mail he would give anything to see his younger brother again.

He made the comments after a GoFundMe to return Robby’s remains to Ireland reached more than €43,000 in less than a week.

Tommy said: ‘He got to work with tourists and they loved him. He had that way of being. “He was just funny and charming and people liked him.”

He said the family would be “eternally grateful” for the funds raised and the support they receive from Robby’s neighbors and friends, but they simply wished he was still with them.

‘He was just a good guy. He didn’t have a bad bone in his body. He was young and the world had not yet made him cynical.

‘I had very good prospects. I admired him most of all because he was able to see the good in any situation,” Tommy said.

“Other than that, like anyone else, he struggled but he was really working on himself.”

Robby's friends have since set up a crowdfunder to pay for his repatriation.

Robby’s friends have since set up a crowdfunder to pay for his repatriation.

Robby's body is currently in a temple until it can be sent for an autopsy.

Robby’s body is currently in a temple until it can be sent for an autopsy.

He was discovered still holding his phone, which was plugged into a wall socket and charging, police said today.

He was discovered still holding his phone, which was plugged into a wall socket and charging, police said today.

‘We often talked about supporting each other and how we were going to solve the problems we had. He was doing a very good job of doing it. He was absorbing wisdom and listening to his elders and doing well and now he’s gone.’

He added: “You can offer me any amount of money in the world and I would turn it down to get it back.”

Tommy said he and his family are still dealing with the Thai authorities with the help of the Irish consulate and they hope to have Robby home by the end of the week, but it could take longer.

He said: ‘The people on GoFundMe and the people who are physically nearby have been very helpful and supportive and we appreciate that. We will be forever grateful for the help with his funeral.’

Robby was found unconscious after his friend knocked on the door of his hotel around 11am on January 9. ‘The room had not been broken into or searched, and there were no signs of any assault. He died alone in the room,” said Lieutenant Colonel Theeraphat Sanjai.

Robby’s friends at the Diving Academy in Inis Mór, Co. Galway, organized the fundraiser to help bring the body home to his grieving mother.

One of Robby’s friends has decided to keep his remains on Koh Tao so that “he is not alone,” his mother said.

Robby was traveling through Thailand, 'living his dream...in the place that made him happy'

Robby was traveling through Thailand, ‘living his dream…in the place that made him happy’

Police search the young traveler's room after a friend and staff found him unconscious.

Police search the young traveler’s room after a friend and staff found him unconscious.

Robby was staying at the BaanTao Bungalo Resort on the Thai island.

Robby was staying at the BaanTao Bungalo Resort on the Thai island.

Officers said Robby was staying at a resort less than two miles from Sairee Beach, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were beaten to death in September 2014, the incident that gave rise to the grim nickname “Death Island.”

In the last decade alone, there have been more than a dozen cases of suspicious or unexplained tourist deaths on the island.

Many believe the cases are covered up or not properly investigated to protect powerful local interests on the island, which has a long history of violence and corruption.

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