Two women and a man named as Christian Sloan were killed after they plunged into the water at the Datanla falls, a series of seven picturesque waterfalls which are a tourist hotspot in Vietnam’s central highlands.

Le Viet Luc, director of a local tourist group, said the trio were exploring one of the area’s seven waterfalls without proper permission from the agency when they were swept up by a strong current. “They fell into the stream of this waterfall and died after being hit by violent waters,” he told AFP. The trio had not had authorised guides or proper permission to visit the site, he added.

Tourists at Datanla falls can ride a rollercoaster, a cable car, and also take part in abseiling, rafting, and free jumping.

The tourists’ guide reportedly told authorities the tourists were swimming with lifejackets near the waterfall when they were swept up in strong waters and dragged over the precipice.

Vietnamese waterfall where British tourists died.

The bodies of the three Britons were transferred to Ho Chi Minh City late on Friday night.

The two British women have been named in local media reports as Izzy Squire, 19, and Beth Anderson, 25, and are understood to have entered the country together earlier this month. The British Embassy in Hanoi declined to officially identify them, but released the following statement on behalf of Sloan’s family: “Christian’s death is a very sad loss to us. He was a very popular young man, formerly in the Royal Navy, who had many, many friends not just locally but around the world. He lived for life.”

The UK embassy said it was liaising with Vietnamese officials on behalf of the families. It said: “Our sympathies are with the families and friends at this difficult time. We are in close contact with local authorities in Vietnam on their behalf.”

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