Hugo Palmer Missing – In February of 2019, Hugo Palmer, age 20, and his companion Erwan Ferrieux, age 21, were last seen at a beach where three other people had drowned in the previous few years. After graduating from Sackville School in East Grinstead, these former students went on an adventure across Australia. Hugo’s death, according to the findings of the coroner Alan Craze, was due to an unfortunate accident.
The inquest that was held at Eastbourne Town Hall heard that the two individuals had arrived at the resort in the town of Port Macquarie, which is located to the north of Sydney and is known for its attractive beach resorts. They had just reached the midpoint of what they called the “trip of a lifetime” to Australia. The alarm was aroused when their possessions were discovered still in their unopened bags on the beach and their rental car was found nearby.
It resulted in a massive search operation, both on land and at sea, but to no avail. The waves were said to be “trying,” and those who were not accustomed to surfing found them to be challenging. Richard Broomby, a Detective Constable, stated that Shelly Beach was “considered dangerous for an inexperienced surf swimmer.”
In the latter half of that month, a spear fisherman made the discovery of Hugo’s femur bone in the water. Subsequent DNA testing confirmed that the bone belonged to Hugo. “He was not a strong swimmer at all,” his mother Tania MacNabb said in a statement that was read out loud during the inquest into her son’s death.
Hugo’s specific cause of death may never be discovered, although the coroner stated that drowning was the most likely scenario for how he passed away. The upgraded skate park in Forest Row that was built in his honor and named after him raised more than £26,000 thanks to the contributions of his family. His mother remarked, while paying tribute to her son, “His incredible warm, good nature, and amazing zest for life was so infectious, and he made a huge impression on everyone that he met.”