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| Inquiry into charity worker death | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The death is being investigated of a 23-year-old charity volunteer whose body was found partially hidden under a mound of stones in northern India. | The death is being investigated of a 23-year-old charity volunteer whose body was found partially hidden under a mound of stones in northern India. |
| Michael Blakey, originally from Burnley, but who lived in Swansea, was found in the town of Dharamsala three days after he was last seen by friends. | Michael Blakey, originally from Burnley, but who lived in Swansea, was found in the town of Dharamsala three days after he was last seen by friends. |
| Police said the Swansea University graduate had head injuries and an autopsy confirmed an unnatural death. | Police said the Swansea University graduate had head injuries and an autopsy confirmed an unnatural death. |
| The Foreign Office said the Indian authorities were investigating. | The Foreign Office said the Indian authorities were investigating. |
| I really feel for his family in having lost this wonderful young man Anna Owen, Tong-Len Charitable Trust Mr Blakey had been in India for five months working with the Tong-Len Charitable Trust. | |
| Mr Blakey graduated with a first class degree in development studies from Swansea University and had been due to fly back to the city for Christmas. | Mr Blakey graduated with a first class degree in development studies from Swansea University and had been due to fly back to the city for Christmas. |
| Anna Owen, the director of the charity's UK fundraising arm, said Mr Blakey had last been seen by friends on the evening of 25 November. | Anna Owen, the director of the charity's UK fundraising arm, said Mr Blakey had last been seen by friends on the evening of 25 November. |
| She said his body was found three days later in a gully close to a church where he worshipped. His body was partially covered in stones. | She said his body was found three days later in a gully close to a church where he worshipped. His body was partially covered in stones. |
| She said she had met Mr Blakey through her daughter, when the two of them had been volunteering to work with refugees. | |
| She said: "The world has lost somebody that's very special. He was dedicated and an ardent campaigner for human rights, a young man who was prepared to devote the whole of his life to the service of others. | |
| "The word that comes immediately to mind was that he was good. He was passionate, he was caring. He went out of his way to help anybody in trouble. | |
| "He was modest, he was bright. He just had so much to give and actually achieved so much. | |
| 'Irreplaceable' | |
| "This is a tragedy. It's much more than just a personal loss, although obviously I really feel for his family in having lost this wonderful young man, their son. | |
| "I feel for his friends, I feel for us a charity because he really is irreplaceable to us." | |
| Mr Blakey's father Paul said: "If it was an accident it will be a bit more easy to live with. | |
| "If he was attacked and murdered that would be such a sad, sad loss and very difficult to understand." | |
| A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said the authorities in the state of Himachal Pradesh were investigating the death. They were awaiting a further report. | A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said the authorities in the state of Himachal Pradesh were investigating the death. They were awaiting a further report. |