No foul play but circumstances surrounding death of island hotel waiter still a mystery

A HOTEL waiter drowned off Burgh Island after vanishing from his lodgings, an inquest has been told.

- by PAUL GREAVES

The body of Efstathios Anthis was discovered floating in the water by holidaymakers in 2021 - just over a month after he went missing.

His disappearance sparked a huge land and sea search. The first attempt to hold an inquest had to be halted after the family of the Greek national claimed he was murdered and that vital evidence was missing.

The coroner resumed the inquest on May 9 after making enquiries with Devon and Cornwall Police, Greek authorities and Interpol.

There were no suspicious circumstances in the death of Mr Anthis, though how he came to be in the water may never be known.

Assistant coroner Louise Wiltshire returned an open conclusion.

She said there was no CCTV evidence to show Mr Anthis's final movements.

"It is unclear whether he came to be in the water by deliberate act or accident," she said.

The inquest was told that on March 5, 2021, Mr Anthis caught a taxi from Bigbury-on-Sea on the mainland to the Stonehouse area of Plymouth, where he spent a few days with a friend.