‘Gentle soul’: Tributes flow for Geelong man who drowned in Murray River

Tributes are flowing for a man who drowned in the Murray River while on a camping trip over the Australia Day weekend.

A man who drowned in the Murray River has been remembered as a “beam of light” with a “heart of gold”.

Geelong man Ethan Tabe, 22, was on a camping trip to Barooga on the Victoria/NSW border on January 24, celebrating the Australia Day weekend when he went swimming in the Murray River and failed to resurface.

Tragically, the man’s body was found in the water by emergency crews the following morning.

His uncle, Ben Tabe, had planned to come up to the camping spot the family had visited “numerous times before”.

Ethan Tabe drowned in the Murray River on the Australia Day long weekend. Picture: Supplied

The 22-year-old was camping with friends and family. Picture: Supplied

“He was just having a swim,” Ben told the Geelong Advertiser.

“It makes me so angry because we don’t understand how this happened … it’s been so hard.”

Ben described his nephew as a lover of the outdoors, with plans to complete more camping trips later in the year.

“He was like a son to me,” he said.

Ethan is is being remembered as a generous and kind person with a “gentle soul” who would do anything to help his mother.

“Ethan would put anything before himself … if you needed help, he would be the first one to offer a hand,” Ben said.

The 22-year-old had plans to help purchase a home with his mother, working as a shift manager at a fast-food restaurant to save up money.

“He always tried to help his mum as much as he could,” Ben said.

“Unfortunately, that isn’t going to be a reality anymore.”

Ethan Tabe was planning to save up for a house with his mum. Picture: Supplied

A GoFundMe campaign set up to support the family has already raised more than $20,000.

“Our world has been turned upside, and we really don’t know what to do, or even think,” the fundraiser said.

“Ethan’s passing has affected so many of us and will affect us for years to come.

“He was taken way too soon, and no mother should have to bear that.”

Ethan’s death is not the only reported drowning in the Murray River this year.

NSW Police discovered the bodies of two men – a 54-year-old man at Apex Park, and a 23-year-old man who fell into the river from his boat and failed to resurface near Moama – in separate suspected drowning incidents.