British man dies after slipping and hitting his head on a metal bar in jump off Australian bridge, as tributes pour in
27 March 2024, 12:38
Tributes have poured in for a British man who died after hitting his head when he slipped while jumping from a bridge from an Australian river.
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Joshua Santos Christian died overnight on Sunday in the Queensland coastal town of Noosa Sound, north of Brisbane on Australia's east coast.
Mr Christian, originally from the Wirral, was with a group of friends who were taking it in turns to jump off the bridge.
He slipped and lost his footing while crossing the railing and hit his head on the way down.
Mr Christian's friends sensed that something was wrong when he failed to emerge from the water after jumping in at about 1am on Sunday.
His body was found in the water the next day at about 8am by a local boat operator who used sonar to identify him. A report is set to be prepared for the coroner.
A fundraiser for Mr Christian said he "was in a happy place smashing life with his Aussie tribe and his loving girlfriend, Becca."
The fundraiser, which aims to cover the costs of repatriating Mr Christian's body to the UK, has raised £17,000 of its £25,000 target.
His friends added that he was "a beautiful soul, with the purest energy, making everyone feel held and safe in his presence.
"Everyone deserves a Josh in their lives, he was a very special person and touched so many hearts".
Mr Christian's friend Jimmy Allen wrote on social media: "I can't put into words how special a person you were and how you lit up every room.
"You always wanted the best for everyone and made everyone feel so, so special.
"I'll always be thinking of you my brother and will always have a special place in my heart. I'll see you on the other side."
Another friend said Mr Christian's death was "heartbreakingly tragic".
A third said: "Sometimes the greatest flames are taken from us."
Daredevils have been warned not to jump off the Noosa bridge, and police have said people taking the leap risk their lives and the lives of others.
Senior Sergeant Peter Feldman said: "They are not only risking their own lives, but that of people in passing boats.
"It is an offence to jump off certain structures and they are breaking the law.'It's not the height of the bridge that makes it dangerous - it's the way that they can fall. It only takes a fall of a couple of metres to seriously injure somebody."
A spokesman for the Foreign, Development and Commonwealth Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities."
