A British teenager has drowned in Majorca just hours before he was due to fly home to his family, it emerged today.
Rob Burnett, 19, (pictured, middle) had spent a week in Magaluf, Majorca, with five friends but failed to arrive at the coach to the airport after going for one last swim alone.
He was found floating in the water by a lifeguard while his suitcase, passport, phone and keys were later discovered lying on the beach.
A post-mortem examination has confirmed that Rob drowned but the full circumstances surrounding his death are not yet known.
His devastated parents Andrew and Helen, both 45, and brothers Mathew, 17, and Jonathan, 13, have described him as ”an inspiration”.
Helen, from Claverham, north Somerset, said: ”Rob was a very popular young man and had so many friends, all of whom are devastated at the news.
”We have had dozens of sympathy cards brought to the house and his friends have been a real support to us.
”It gives us great comfort knowing how much he meant to everyone.”
Keen footballer Rob worked as an apprentice at his father Andrew’s engineering business, Burnett and Hillman.
He said: ”I have lost my eldest son, my best friend and a colleague.
”Rob would go out of his way to help anyone and worked very hard and loved spending time with his family and friends.
”His death will leave a massive hole in our lives and the lives of all his friends.”
Rob and his friends flew to Majorca on July 30 and stayed at the Sol Magaluf (corr) Park. They were due to fly back to Bristol on August 6.
However, Rob, who was described by his brothers as a ”strong swimmer”, was found floating in water off the beach of Ciudad Jardin (doub corr) at around 2.30pm.
His friends became concerned when he failed to turn up to catch the evening flight home to Bristol and phoned his parents Helen and Andrew.
They raced to Bristol Airport but received news that the body of their son had been found before the flight arrived.
The family are now working with tour operators Thomson and Majorcan officials to bring Rob’s body home.
His brothers Mathew and Jonathan said: ”Rob was a really strong swimmer and we do not understand what happened.
”He was a genuine person, straightforward and direct in his approach and always smiling and was never one to sit about.
”He was committed to everything he did and once he made his mind up about something, he’d go and achieve it.”
Rob’s funeral will be held later this month at Holy Trinity Church in Claverham, Somerset.
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: ”We can confirm the death of a British National, Robert Andrew Burnett, in Majorca on Friday, August 6.
”Next of kin are aware and we are providing consular assistance to them.”
