Drowning of a Hampshire man in Corfu ruled an accidental death by the coroner

THE drowning of a Hampshire man in Corfu cannot be fully explained, a coroner has said.
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23-year-old Basil ‘Baz’ Fisher died while on a family trip to the Greek island in September 2020.

He had been swimming with others across a 100-metre stretch of water near their boat when he disappeared.

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An inquest was held at Winchester Coroners' CourtAn inquest was held at Winchester Coroners' Court
An inquest was held at Winchester Coroners' Court
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Mr Fisher, a talented swimmer, was found a short time later on the ocean floor and could not be resuscitated.

His body was later returned to Hampshire, where he lived, and an inquest into his death took place in Winchester on Tuesday.

Mr Fisher, from Basingstoke, was described by his mother, Victoria Fisher, as a ‘very handsome boy’ who ‘left an impact on everybody he met.’

She told the inquest: ‘He had time for everybody and he had a smile on his face for everybody.

‘He was happy and fun and he worked hard.

‘Everyone loved Baz.’

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On the day Mr Fisher died the family had been for a morning swim before having lunch at a taverna on the popular Greek island.

Afterwards, he and a couple of others decided to swim from their boat across to the north side of the bay – a distance of about 100 metres.

The waters were calm, with no current, but his stepfather realised that Mr Fisher was missing and they began searching urgently for him.

Tragically, Mr Fisher was found on the sea floor facing upwards, between 10 and 20 metres off the coast.

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Efforts were made to resuscitate him and an ambulance was called but he could not be revived.

The area coroner Jason Pegg told the inquest: ‘Baz became submerged and drowned whilst swimming.

‘How he came to be submerged cannot be ascertained.’

He recorded a conclusion of accidental death by drowning and offered his sincere condolences to Mr Fisher’s family.

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