Tributes have been paid to a British lawyer and his nine-year-old son killed in a landslide while on holiday in Australia.
Mehraab Nazir, 49, had been hiking with his family in the Wentworth Pass area of the Blue Mountains, a national park west of Sydney, on Monday when they were caught in the rockslide. His and his son’s bodies were recovered the next morning.
His wife was in a critical condition in an intensive care unit, while another son, aged 14, had undergone surgery and was in a stable condition. The couple’s 15-year-old daughter, who walked from the scene, was under observation in hospital.
Mehraab Nazir, a graduate from the University of Exeter, was a partner at the law firm Watson Farley & Williams based in its Singapore office, where he worked as a finance lawyer specialising in international transactions, having reportedly moved from London more than 10 years ago.
The company said: “It is with the greatest sadness that we must confirm that our dear friend and colleague Mehraab Nazir, a partner in our Singapore office, tragically lost his life in a landslide in Australia earlier this week alongside his young son. We will be remembering and honouring Mehraab. However, with the surviving members of the family in serious conditions or in shock, we ask that you respect their privacy and grief at this incredibly difficult time.”
A spokesperson for the University of Exeter said: “We are extremely sorry to hear about this tragedy and send our condolences to Mr Nazir’s family, friends and colleagues.”
It was reported the family are Zoroastrians. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported a message on the Zoroastrian Association of New South Wales Facebook page, which described their deaths as an “immense tragedy”. It is understood relatives have arrived in Sydney.
The premier of New South Wales, Dominic Perrottet, said the incident was “tragic” and he would be seeking advice as to whether the walking track should have been open, given recent heavy rain. “These tragedies occur too often so anything we can do to keep people safe, we will,” Perrottet told ABC. “Obviously, the Blue Mountains is a place where people love to go trekking. It’s one of the wonders of the world but when those tragedies occur, it would be remiss of any government not to act.”
After the bodies were removed, the NSW department of environment and heritage announced that the area was closed to the public until further notice and a “comprehensive review” would be undertaken.
The British high commission said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple and their children following an incident in the Blue Mountains. Our staff in Australia are in contact with local police.”
