The family of Robert McHale, whose drowned body was found in Zhejiang province on Saturday, have expressed their deep grief over his "suspicious" death.
The 23 year old had been teaching English for six month in Jiaxing, and was due to return to his home in Ireland just a few days after his death. McHale went missing last Saturday, sparking a huge search by his co-workers.
"It is the circumstances in which his apartment was left, with the tv on, laptop on, passport, money, phone, iPod, his bag and all his clothes left behind - that are what make it most suspicious," McHale's brother, Oisin posted on Facebook, rebuking suggestions that McHale took his own life. "It's also incredibly unlikely that he wanted to commit suicide. In fact, his last message to me was very excited about a new story he was writing."
Oisin also asked for any information about his brother's death on public forums, and suggested that an incident in a bar might have had a possible link to the death.
"He did have an incident in some pub a while back where he may have been scammed into buying drinks for a table or something," he said. "He didn't want to pay but I believe he was pretty much forced to afterwards. I'm a bit hazy on the details, it happened a while back. Don't think it's related especially as we don't think he even went down to the local bars that night."
The Irish consular general and authorities are cooperating with the McHale family, who are travelling to China to formally identify Robert's body. Investigations are ongoing.
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