Family of aid worker who died in Ukraine speak of heartbreak as they close on £10k needed to repatriate him

24 September 2022, 14:50 | Updated: 24 September 2022, 14:55

The daughter of a British aid worker who died while held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine has said he should be brought home as soon as possible as her family closes in on the £10,000 needed to repatriate him.

Paul Urey's family was devastated when it was announced he had died in detention months after being taken in southern Ukraine in April.

The 45-year-old had type one diabetes and a heart condition but his family said he was denied his medication about eight weeks before he died in July.

Relatives were told they needed to raise £10,000 to bring his body back from Ukraine, having been handed to Kyiv authorities from the separatists, and have raised £8,000 of that via GoFundMe.

Chelsea Coman, 20, said: "He doesn't deserve to be out there at the minute.

"It would set our mind at ease to be able to lay him to rest and know that he's not in a different country still suffering even though he's died.

"We would get closure."

Read more: British aid worker Paul Urey dies after being detained by pro-Russian forces in Ukraine

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The almost entirely unrecognised so-called Donetsk People's Republic claimed Mr Urey died from stress and chronic illnesses.

While his body was given to Ukraine, the Foreign Office told his family they would need to pay almost £10,000 for repatriation.

Christoper Chadderton, 53, the stepfather of Ms Coman and her 17-year-old sister Courtney, took aim at the Foreign Office for leaving them "in a state of limbo, not knowing whether they could get their father back".

"For me, personally, it doesn't sit right," he said.

"Rather than saying, 'Don't worry about the money, we'll get your dad back,' it was a case of, 'To bring your dad back is going to cost this much.'

"I don't understand how they could lead on two young girls in a situation [they were in] and they were grieving and confused, [there was] a lot of anger.

Read more: 'Months of suffering is over': Five Brits captured by pro-Russian fighters in Ukraine released

"I'm very proud of what they've done, what they've achieved and how they've gone about this ... But I think a lot of it was unnecessary and it shouldn't have been put on such young shoulders such a huge responsibility."

He had tried to get to the two when news of Mr Urey’s death broke but he was too late.

"[A journalist] rang me and explained about Paul's death," he said.

"Me and the children's mum, we rushed back to try and tell the girls before they heard it on the news but as we got there the girls were sobbing, holding each other.

"That was heartbreaking for me, to see the girls going through that."

The fundraiser had passed £9,400 by Saturday lunchtime.

"It's very overwhelming because a lot of strangers across the world have taken the time to write these messages and send money over to help us, and they don't even know us," Ms Coman said after seeing the GoFundMe go over £8,300 on Friday.

"Without the GoFundMe and all these strangers giving us the money to help us bring dad home ... I don't think we would have possibly been able to do it.

"We've never seen that kind of money in our lives."

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We have supported Paul's family throughout this ordeal and will continue to work with the Ukrainian authorities to get him home."

"Our thoughts remain with the Urey family at this difficult time.

"The FCDO is unfortunately not able to pay for the repatriation of British nationals who have died overseas."

Meanwhile, five Brits have at last been released by their pro-Russian captors in Ukraine.

John Harding, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill, Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin were set free on Wednesday, and landed in Britain on Thursday morning.