A BURNHAM man drowned after getting into difficulty swimming in the Caribbean when waves were 8ft high, an inquest has heard.
Christian Woodroffe, 22, was travelling in Costa Rica in March when his family lost contact with him and reported him missing.
An inquest heard Mr Woodroffe had been in the Cahuita district when his family last heard from him on March 3.
Mr Woodroffe’s body was found three days later and a cause of death was provided as submersion asphyxia.
Coroner Michelle Brown ruled Mr Woodroffe’s death was an accident.
The inquest heard how Mr Woodroffe’s family flew to Costa Rica to provide DNA samples which police matched with the deceased six weeks after he was first found.
The coroner said: “The family believed their son sone had got into trouble while in the sea as there were 8ft-high waves at the time.”
She continued: “The manner of death is an accident from a medical and legal perspective.
“The facts speak for themselves, to be honest – the family are happy this is being heard today and don’t wish to attend.”
A eulogy written by Mr Woodroffe’s family described as someone “humble in spirit” and “grounded in his beliefs”.
A tribute read: “Christian brought light, laughter, and love to everyone who had the joy of knowing him.
“His kind heart, adventurous spirit, and warm smile touched more lives than we can count.
“Even in his short time with us, he made a lasting impact that will never fade.
“Those who knew him recognized how rare he truly was.
“A man grounded in his beliefs, deeply connected to the universe, humble in spirit, and capable of transforming raw materials into something special.”
It continued: “Christian, we love you endlessly.
“You will always be with us - in our memories, in our hearts, and in the stories we share.
“Thank you for being our brightest light.
“Rest easy, superstar.
“Your light will never fade.”
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