The family of an 18-year-old who died in a quad bike accident on a Greek island have launched a fundraiser to bring his body home.
Ryan Bennet, from Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, died after the vehicle he and a pal were riding rolled over and crushed him early on Friday morning in Zante. Medics rushed him to Zakynthos Hospital on the island, off Greece's west coast, but he could not be saved.
A day after his death, the teen's loved ones have launched a JustGiving fundraiser in order to repatriate their much-loved relative. The page has a target of £10,000, and has already raised over £1,300 report the Record.
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A message on the page reads: "Our beloved Ryan has tragically lost his life in a quad bike accident on the Greek Island of Zante in the early hours of July 7. We are raising funds to help bring Ryan home so he can be laid to rest here in Scotland.
"Although we're completely overwhelmed with sadness, we feel honoured that we got to call you family and have you in our lives for 18 years. Rest in peace my sweet boy, you are so loved."
Tributes to Ryan have been left across social media by his friends and family. Girlfriend Caitlin Ball said she had lost her "best friend." She wrote: "Today I lost the most important boy in my life and there is simply no way I could ever even begin to describe how losing your best friend like this feels.
"Ryan you are everything I ever wanted and so much more. I appreciate every single bit of love you have ever given me. I love you with my whole heart forever. I hope I make you as proud as you make me my love."
According to local news site ERT Zakynthos, both teenagers were wearing helmets and were travelling at a slow speed before the bike overturned. Police say no other vehicles were involved.
Zante, like the other Ionian islands, is hugely popular with UK tourists. Around 4.5 million Brits visited Greece last year, according to data gathered by the Greek central bank.
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However, tourism body ABTA warns people about the risks of hiring quad bikes when abroad. An advice page on its website warns: "Think twice before hiring mopeds or quad bikes. While these vehicles may be fun to drive, they can also result in very serious accidents."
Official European Union statistics also show that 36 per cent of fatalities on Greek roads involved lighter vehicles such as mopeds and motorbikes – twice the EU average. An investigation by the Police Department of Alykon of Zakynthos is ongoing. A post-mortem is due to take place.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.”
