The family is struggling to get him home for burial:
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/c...e/news-story/f6d8dba366dec716f4d28f54a1b901d6
His widow is also struggling to change her return plane ticket and more. I know that possibilities are different in the UK, but I'm sure there is Dive Accident insurance and Trip insurance available. So many leave the country without either tho.
I keep my DAN dive insurance year to year even tho my trips have declined, and I always take trip insurance when I leave the US, mostly for medical coverage and emergency medical returns, but like the other benefits. Small expenses for major risks. I tell my daughter that if I die out of country, DAN and my trip insurance both will pay to return my body, then do a second autopsy to double check findings. If I die away from home in the US, I guess that DAN would return my body if I am far away enough - but I suggest just have me cremated there and save the money. They can still bury my cremains in my hometown cemetery, which is what I want anyway. This family could economize by cremating there, then returning cremains as checked or carryon luggage with the widow for cemetery burial, but some folks do not like that approach.
The plane ticket change issue brings up another huge risk traveling. I nag my daughter about getting trip insurance for international trips, and fortunately she did for China - altho she took the cheapest level from the company I use, lowering coverage significantly for a little saved. Their world changed significantly when my granddaughter lost her passport & visa, and that took a lot to resolve - extra days there, fedexing documents from her father, new plane tickets, lost money in old tickets, etc.
Then for their recent trip to Cancun, I asked if they had trip insurance or another backup plan in case of emergency? Nope, they bluffed again.
Most of us buy non-refundable plane tickets, and it's likely that his return ticket is now worthless, and her return ticket will have little value towards a new one. Airlines used to accommodate customers who experienced problems, but nowadays it's be in that seat or else.
