British pensioner dies after jumping off a boat into the Med to cool

• The 73-year-old had been on a coastal tour in Marmaris, Mugla Province
• But after jumping into the water, he is thought to have suffered a heart attack 

A British tourist on a sightseeing boat trip in Turkey died of a heart attack when he jumped into the sea to cool off, according to reports.

The 73-year-old had been on a coastal tour in Marmaris, Mugla Province, with friends when he jumped into the Mediterranean as temperatures reached 25 degrees.

But when he struggled to get back into the boat his friends called emergency services, local media reported on April 16.

A team of coastguards, police and divers in two boats pulled him from the water and rushed him to paramedics waiting on the beach.

However, they were unable to save him and he was declared dead at the scene.

The 73-year-old had been on a coastal tour in Marmaris, Mugla Province (pictured, file photo), with friends when he jumped into the Mediterranean as temperatures reached 25 degrees

His body was sent to the Marmaris State Hospital morgue and then to the forensic medicine institution to determine the exact cause of death.

Medics will be looking to see if the pensioner died from cold water shock, where a rapid drop in temperature closes blood vessels and increases blood pressure.

The region, known as Turkey’s Turquoise Coast is a favourite of British tourists famous for its crystal clear sea and sandy beaches.

It has a rich legacy of ancient historical sites and relics and is where Mark Anthony wooed Cleopatra.

MailOnline has contacted the British Foreign Office for comment.

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