The body of a Melbourne teenager has been found in a river in Laos, three days after he disappeared while tubing in the popular tourist destination.
Daniel Eimutis, 19, was on holidays with six friends when he disappeared at Vang Vieng on Monday night, triggering a frantic search by family and friends.
The University of Melbourne student’s aunt, Anna Boundy, posted last night on a Facebook page set up to find Daniel that he had drowned.
Daniel had been travelling with six friends.
‘‘My beautiful nephew’s body has been found. He drowned,’’ she wrote.
‘‘Thank you to everybody who helped in the search. We will post details of funeral when we know the details.’’
Ms Boundy said it could take up to two weeks to bring Mr Eimutis’ body home to Melbourne.
His parents and brother had flown to Laos earlier this week to help in the search, and will now bring his body back to Australia.
The former Melbourne High School student is believed to have been tubing - the popular practice of floating along the river on an inner tube - when he struck trouble.
He was last seen around 8pm near the tubing section of Vang Vieng, a popular resort for backpackers.
He had left his identity documents and wallet at a local hotel, triggering a frantic search by family and friends.
He is believed to have travelled to Thailand with friends before continuing on to Laos.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs this morning confirmed a Victorian man had died in Laos.
‘‘We can confirm the body of a 19-year-old man from Victoria has been recovered and identified in Vang Vieng in Laos,’’ the spokeswoman said.
‘‘A consular officer from the Embassy in Vientiane travelled to Vang Vieng and is providing consular assistance to the man’s family and his travelling companions.’’
Mr Eimutis’ friend, Michael Girdwood, yesterday said the teenager’s travelling companions and other Australians had scoured streets, riverbanks and police stations for him.
"There has been no word at all and they are becoming increasingly concerned,’’ Mr Girdwood said yesterday.
Benjamin Gallagher, a friend of Mr Eimutis, wrote on the Facebook page that he was devastated his mate had been taken so young.
‘‘However I’m going to remain strong for him, challenge myself with extreme sports, live life like a thrill seeker. I want everyone to not slump into depression, but be immersed with gratitude that we had the honour to meet such a humble and genuine person like Daniel,’’ he wrote.
‘‘R.I.P mate you’ll never be forgotten.’’
Mr Eimutis is the second Australian to die while tubing in the area in the past month.
Earlier this month, Lee Hudswell, 26, of Cronulla, died after he jumped from a tower and landed badly in the river.
Holidaymakers tried to resuscitate him but he died a short time later in hospital.
- with Paul Millar
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