Tragedy of Vietnam death-fall tourist
A MAN jumped to his death from a hotel balcony in Vietnam after suffering severe social anxiety, an inquest heard.
Gethin Roberts, 31, who lived in Manchester prior to his holiday in the south east Asian country, died last May after spending three months there.
He was travelling around Vietnam on a motorbike, and prior to his death had been staying at a hotel in Da Nang City.
Now a coroner has ruled the cause of Mr Roberts’ death was multiple traumas, and recorded a conclusion of death by suicide.
An inquest at Pontypridd Coroners’ Court in south Wales heard that Mr Roberts had suffered with severe social anxiety for some time. He told a GP in Manchester about feeling low in mood, and the inquest was told the doctor had diagnosed him as suffering with severe social anxiety and low self-esteem.
Mr Roberts, originally from the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, was referred to psychiatrist Dr Howard Waring. At the time it was said he did not have suicidal thoughts and had a supportive family network.
The psychiatrist saw Mr Roberts later and found his symptoms had progressed, showing signs of paranoia and early developments of psychosis.
Dr Waring advised Mr Roberts to delay his trip to Vietnam so he could start treatment. He said it was decided Mr Roberts’s case did not meet the requirements of the
Mental Health Act, which would block his travel abroad. He flew to Vietnam on February 19 last year, and spent three months travelling on a hired motorbike.
He was found unconscious and pronounced dead on May 8, 2020.
Post-mortem examinations were carried out on Mr Roberts’s body in Vietnam and the UK and found there were no drugs in his system and a small amount of alcohol.
He had suffered multiple injuries and external bruising.
A note was found on Mr Roberts’s phone for his family, which stated his intention and expressed his love for them.
Reading a statement following the inquest, Gethin’s dad John Roberts said: “I would just like to say that the family are devastated to lose a much-loved son and brother who was loved by all his friends and all who knew him. Despite his anxiety he had many successes through his life including a first-class honours degree which we are very proud of. Sadly mental health and suicide result in too many lives lost.”