20/01/2005

British tourist, feared dead in tsunami, returns home

A British tourist has been welcomed home by his family, who feared he had died in the Asian tsunami disaster.

Anthony Blake, 70, from Colchester, Essex, had been on holiday in Thailand when the tsunami struck on Boxing Day.

His family had feared that he had been killed in the disaster, when he failed to make contact with them. However, in a statement released by the Foreign Office, his family said that he had sent a letter via airmail to let them know he was safe. However, the family only received the letter yesterday.

Mr Blake had also tried to e-mail his family from an internet café on the island of Ton Sui, but had apparently entered the wrong e-mail address.

His family said they "absolutely delighted" at Mr Blake's safe return and added: "We, as a family, would like the media to allow us some privacy to come to terms with the events and this happy ending."

(KMcA/SP)

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