Fund for hero who died trying to save two twin girls from drowning nears £10k

A fund set up for a hero tourist who died trying to save two children from drowning in the sea is rocketing towards £10,000. Well wishers have donated thousands for Alexandru Melei, 60, who was at Ingoldmells, , on Sunday.

His family set up the online page in a desperate bid to repatriate his body back to his native Romania. After the appeal passed the £9,000 mark, Alexandru's daughter, Ana-Maria Barbu, 36, said: "Thanks to your generosity and involvement, we were able to reach our intended goal. We are deeply grateful for every kind thought and gesture of support. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

Alexandru, who was on holiday, went into the water just after 4pm on Sunday to help twin sisters who appeared to be in distress. He got into difficulty, was taken to hospital by air ambulance and later died. His cause of death is unclear. However Alexandru was lauded for his "selfless heroism" in the wake of the tragedy.

READ MORE:

Posting on , his brother Costi Melei said: "He showed immense courage and selflessness in his final moments — something we will never forget. Please keep him in your thoughts or say a prayer for his soul."

Ana-Maria also revealed her mother, Cornelia, 57, was left in shock and devastated that she could not stary with him after Alexandru's body was taken to the mortuary. She is now back in Bucharest. In an exclusive interview with the . Ana-Maria revealed her father had been in the UK visiting friends when he died trying to reach the stricken girls who were in distress in the water. She told how the retired army medic heard the youngsters' screams for help and raced into the water - but was overwhelmed by the swell.

And she has now launched a mercy mission to have his body repatriated back to his native Romania so the family can lay him to rest. Speaking from her home in Bucharest, make-up artist Ana-Maria said: "My mother and father were walking along the seashore when they heard the girls screaming, they were in distress.

"The girls lived near my father's friends, so they knew them. From what I understand they had gone in the water together but had become separated when the water rose quickly. They were starting to panic, they were screaming and yelling for help. My father jumped in to try to save one of them and his friend went to the other.

"His friend managed to get the other girl out, but they were exhausted and they could see my dad was struggling. They had to do CPR on my father, my mum was there with him and was holding his hand the entire time. They couldn't do anything to save him."

Alexandru and his wife of 38 years, Cornelia, 57, had arrived in the UK on Friday and were staying with Romanian friends in the popular tourist hotspot. A huge rescue mission was launched at around 4pm on Sunday [May 25] after ex-Army medic Alexandru entered the sea close to the Promenade in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, Lincs, in the Bank Holiday tragedy.

Eyewitnesses revealed how an air ambulance was deployed while police and coastguards fought to save the man's life as horrified beachgoers watched on. However despite desperate efforts to revive him, it's understood he died in hospital. The children - who emerged unscathed from the incident - were left "in terrible shock and wrapped in blankets" after the incident, according to people watching nearby.

Ana-Maria told how her father had dedicated his life to service, working in the Romanian military as a medical assistant. And she revealed her parents had just started to travel the as they began their retirement and her mother had overcome cancer.

Ana-Maria praised her father's bravery and courage. Ana-Maria said: "I'm so proud of him, he was so brave. This is who he was, he was a medical assistant in the Romanian military for half his life, then was a medical assistant in the hospital." Alexandru and Cornelia, who also have a son, 33, had just retired and began travelling the world.

Ana-Maria said: "They were just starting to travel the world, my mum had been through chemotherapy last year and was in recovery, they were just starting to enjoy life and have fun. We are devastated."

To donate to Ana-Maria's fund, please log on to https://gofund.me/bdbceabd