A British tourist’s family is struggling to raise the money needed to repatriate his body from Vietnam after he was killed in a motorbike accident while on holiday.
Ryan Hutchinson, from Hull in East Yorkshire, died after his motorbike collided with a bus in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on 19 January.
His mother, Michelle Cooper, has launched a public appeal to raise funds to cover mortuary fees and the cost of returning his body to the UK.
“My son Ryan was involved in a motorcycle accident and killed while on holiday in Vietnam,” she wrote. “This was so unexpected and heartbreaking, and he unfortunately didn’t have any insurance. I have tried every resource to get some help, but just can’t get any from anywhere.”
The 43-year-old’s brother, Stephen, described him as an adventurer who “loved life” and had a deep passion for travel, which began when he volunteered in Cameroon as a teenager.
“Ryan loved life. He lived fast and loved his friends,” he said. “He was fiercely protective of his friends and family. Right then in Vietnam, he was in the happiest place he has ever been.”
Mr Hutchinson said his brother had explored the British coastline in a converted van and previously lived abroad in Spain.
At the age of 18, Ryan spent six months volunteering in Cameroon, teaching sport to children while living without electricity or running water.
“He’s been in and out of Vietnam over the years,” Mr Hutchinson added. “He used to live in Spain for a while, travelling and living in a van.”
The family said they are trying to raise £20,000 to cover repatriation costs.
“We’re not a family of money – we’re pretty hand-to-mouth,” Mr Hutchinson said. “It’s going to cost anywhere between £10,000 and £20,000 to bring him home.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Vietnam and are in contact with the local authorities.”
