The coronavirus pandemic could ground plans to bring home a Forfar man who died in Germany.
The family of 32-year-old Gareth Hicks face a “waiting game” after they told the German authorities they want to bring his body back to the UK to lay him to rest.
There is now a race against time to repatriate his body as countries tighten their borders amid the coronavirus pandemic, which could leave the family with the “agonising option” of having his body cremated in Germany.
The former Angus Council welfare rights advocate went missing after a night out with friends at Blitz Nightclub in Munich on February 22 before he left alone unexpectedly.
His body in a river in Germany after a month-long search and heartbroken family members launched a fundraising campaign to bring his body home, which is expected to cost around £9,000.
A family announcement on the GoFundMe campaign page read: “We have asked to bring Gareth’s body home.
“Although they have now accepted this it is now a waiting game to see when this can be facilitated due to the ever changing Covid situation.
“Passengers will take priority on these flights and their baggage.
“The longer the wait, the more the family will be charged for having Gareth’s body in the morgue, or once again be faced with the agonising option of having his body cremated in Germany.
“We will continue to fundraise until we have an update.”
Gareth’s cause of death was officially recorded as drowning and the family have stated that “they know Gareth wouldn’t have taken his own life”.
Without any investigation to identify if there had been any foul play, they said they have been left to believe this was a tragic accident.
Gareth’s sister Victoria said the family are all completely shattered.
She said under no circumstances do they want his body cremated “somewhere so foreign to him”.
The family want him cremated in Lincoln, where he grew up before moving to Forfar to work for Angus Council.
The Lucie Blackman Trust has been assisting the family since he went missing in Munich.
Gareth was described by his family as a kind, caring and gentle soul who “would give you the shirt off his back, even in a blizzard”.
