British entrepreneur, 23, drowned in Corfu on family trip

The inquest ruled he died of an “accidental death by drowning”

The inquest heard of the British entrepreneur’s tragic death (PA Archive/PA Images)

The drowning of a 23-year-old British entrepreneur while on a family trip to Corfu “cannot be fully explained,” an inquest has heard.

Basil “Baz” Fisher, from Basingstoke, drowned while on a family holiday to the Greek island in September 2020.

He had been swimming with others across a 100-metre stretch of water near their boat when he disappeared.

Mr Fisher, a talented swimmer, was found a short time later on the ocean floor and could not be resuscitated.

His body was later returned to Hampshire, where he lived, and an inquest into his death took place in Winchester on Tuesday.

Mr Fisher’s mother, Victoria Fisher, told the hearing: “He had time for everybody and he had a smile on his face for everybody.

“He was happy and fun and he worked hard. Everyone loved Baz.”

The inquest heard that on the day Mr Fisher died he went on a morning swim before having lunch at a taverna on the Greek island beloved by tourists.

Afterwards, he and a couple of others decided to swim from their boat across to the north side of the bay - a distance of about 100 metres. The waters were calm, with no current, but his stepfather realised that Mr Fisher was missing and they began searching urgently for him.

Mr Fisher was then found on the sea floor facing upwards, between 10 and 20 metres off the coast.

The area coroner Jason Pegg told the inquest: “Baz became submerged and drowned whilst swimming.

“How he came to be submerged cannot be ascertained.”

He recorded a conclusion of accidental death by drowning and offered his sincere condolences to Mr Fisher's family.