 Sean was 'well-loved' |
Tributes have been made by the family of a man who went missing in the Asian tsunami, after his body was finally identified by Thai authorities. Sean Sweetman, 31, was on holiday with his girlfriend Lucy Coyle, 28, on Phi Phi island in Thailand when the disaster struck last Boxing Day.
His family, from Bath, said his death was "deeply felt" by family, friends and colleagues.
His body was identified from dental records, and he has been cremated.
Mr Sweetman was a former pupil at St Stephens and Beechen Cliff schools in Bath and a graduate of Bournemouth University.
'Pain and grief'
A family statement on Thursday said: "Well-loved and well-respected, a man full of joy, energy, enthusiasm and leadership, Sean's loss is deeply felt by his family and a wide circle of friends and colleagues."
A family spokesman said the Buddhist cremation ceremony ended a "six-month journey of pain, grief and confusion."
The family spokesman said: "The unprecedented scale of the tsunami disaster has placed private grief in a public arena with official protocol unprepared.
"The family would like to thank the Thai government for arranging the identification process and the forensic teams for their work in difficult circumstances.
"Particular thanks go to individuals from the police, Red Cross, civil service and government for their personal help, support and understanding."
The body of Ms Coyle, from Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland, was identified in April.
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