One of the paramedics who tried to save Shane Warne has described how the cricketer's panicked friends desperately tried to wake him after he suffered a suspected heart attack in Thailand.
Paramedic Anuch Han-iam told British tabloid The Sun there were four or five other men in Warne's room at the Koh Samui villa when he and a colleague arrived on Friday afternoon local time.
Read more: Warne family accepts state funeral offer
Warne's friends were trying to revive the 52-year-old before Mr Anuch took over CPR.
"They were desperate. I think one was crying. They were really stressed and panicked," the paramedic told the newspaper.
"They kept trying to wake him and I heard someone saying, 'come on, Shane. Come on, Shane'.
"I could see they were all shocked and I just tried to concentrate and do my best."
Mr Anuch said the room was clean and there were no signs of partying such as beer or cigarettes.
"I did my best for him and gave all my energy. I'm so sorry that I couldn't help him."
A state funeral will be held in Victoria after Warne's family accepted an offer from the state government.
Warne's body was being moved for an autopsy in the main state hospital in Surat Thani province on Sunday.
He had been staying in a private villa with three friends, one of whom performed CPR after finding him unresponsive when he did not show up for dinner.
He was taken by ambulance to Thai International Hospital and later his body was transferred to Koh Samui Hospital.
His death is not being treated as suspicious.
Yuttana Sirisombat, superintendent at the Bo Phut police station, told reporters Warne had been suffering chest pains before arriving in Thailand.
He also had asthma and had seen a doctor about his heart.
Warne's manager said the cricketer had finished a "ridiculous" diet of consuming only fluids days before his death.
"He did go on these ridiculous sort of diets, and he was just finished with one," James Erskine told Nine's Weekend Today on Sunday.
"It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagna stuffed in the middle or he would be having black and green juices.
"He obviously smoked most of his life. I don't know. I think it was just a massive heart attack."
Erskine told Fox Cricket Warne was only three days into a planned three-month holiday and alone watching cricket when he fell ill.
His friend Andrew Neophitou, who was among the group staying in the same villa, went to check on him.
"They were going to have a drink ... or go and meet someone to go out and have a drink at 5pm and Neo knocked on his door at 5.15 pm because Warnie is always on time," Erskine said.
"He went in there ... and then realised something was wrong. And he turned him over and gave him CPR and mouth-to-mouth, which lasted about 20 minutes and then the ambulance came."
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed on Sunday Warne's family had accepted the government's offer of a state funeral, with more details in coming days.
"It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country," Andrews said.
Australian Associated Press
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