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Chatchawan Thongpia, who lived in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, is believed to have lost his balance before falling into a canal and tragically drowning on the first day of his Venice holiday
19:45, 10 Jun 2026 Updated 23:24, 11 Jun 2026
A British man died after falling into a canal on the first day of a holiday in Venice with his partner, an inquest heard today.
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Chatchawan Thongpia, 31, is believed to have lost his balance while walking around the Italian city in the evening of November 3, 2025. The mechanical engineer, who was living in Scarborough but also said to reside at Brooklands Farm in Exeter , had travelled to the popular city for a five-day trip with his partner.
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An inquest at North Yorkshire Coroner's Court heard that on their first night there, Mr Thongpia left their hotel to go for a walk and smoke some CBD he had bought that day. His partner said she decided to stay behind because they had been up since 2.30am.
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In a statement, the woman said Mr Thongpia, who was born in Thailand , as going to find a quiet alley to smoke in so no one could smell it.
She said: "As time was going on I was getting more and more anxious, I didnât expect him to be gone for very long." The inquest heard that the girlfriend attempted to sleep but was woken up by the hotel receptionist who told her the police were downstairs.
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A witness had been walking around Campo Santa Marina at around 6.30pm and saw a body in the water, the inquest heard. He tried to grab the person through the bars of a bridge, but could not hold on to him because of the strong current.
The witness then asked another family on the bridge to call the emergency services, who attended but could not resuscitate Mr Thongpia when his body was recovered.
The Italian police, in a report, said some of the British man's movements were captured on CCTV, but not the moment he went into the canal. Cops said they believed he had "accidentally fallen into the water, presumably after losing his balance" and was moved tens of metres because of the strong current.
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A post-mortem examination found that Mr Thongpia did not have any injuries that suggested he had been assaulted, or that there was any third party involvement in his death. A cannabinoid was found in his system, which the pathologist said was likely to have been consumed three hours earlier.
His report added that it was "possible but not probable" that this had caused the tourist's motor skills to be impaired. His medical cause of death was drowning .
Coroner Catherine Devereux said police believed Mr Thongpia may have leaned against a railing and accidentally fallen into the water. But she told the hearing: "No one witnessed how he came to be in the canal that evening." The coroner recorded an open conclusion.
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Read the full article at Daily Mirror âđSource document: North Yorkshire Coroner's Court Inquest
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Daily MirrorParty-alignedCenter10 days agoA British man named Chatchawan Thongpia, 31, died after falling into a canal in Venice during his first night on a five-day holiday with his partner. According to the inquest, he left their hotel to walk and smoke CBD purchased earlier that day. His partner remained at the hotel, stating she was concerned when he did not return quickly. A hotel receptionist later informed her that police were present.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a tragic accident involving a British tourist in Venice without any apparent political framing, bias, or ideological emphasis. It focuses on factual details provided during an inquest, including the victimâs actions and the sequence of events leading to his death. No opinion,ç
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Official sources cited
- court North Yorkshire Coroner's Court Inquest
Sky News (UK)IndependentCenter11 days agoA British tourist on holiday with his partner in Venice drowned after falling into a canal, according to an inquest.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a tragic incident involving a British tourist in Venice without any apparent political framing, bias, or ideological emphasis. The content is purely factual and does not involve political actors, policies, or contentious issues.
Daily MirrorParty-alignedCenter12 days ago Boy, 16, who died after entering lake with pals during heatwave 'could not swim'A 16-year-old boy, Muhammed Secka, died after entering a lake at Rother Valley Country Park during a heatwave. He was with friends and reportedly could not swim. Emergency services were called, and his body was found the next day. The coroner noted that the cause of death is under investigation but indicated features consistent with drowning.
Bias read (Center): The article reports factual information about an incident without apparent ideological framing. It focuses on the event itself, including details about the circumstances of the death and the ongoing investigation, without showing clear bias toward any political stance.
Official sources cited
- court Inquest proceedings
United Kingdom