Glastonbury Festival stage rigger Olly Banks' death in Cambodia is a mystery

[geovalin]

By Western Daily Press

By Tina Rowe

A Glastonbury Festival stage rigger who travelled the world has died mysteriously the day before he was due to fly home to Somerset.

Oliver Banks, aged 32, known as Olly, was taken ill in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, and was rushed to hospital by 'tuk-tuk' taxi, but died on the way.

A freelance stage and event rigger who worked world-wide had recently travelled to the country from Thailand where he had gone for work.

Oliver's parents, Russell and Caroline, were due to meet him at Heathrow Airport the next day, and he had told them how much he was looking forward to seeing them and coming home.

His family has set up a 'Let's Bring Olly Home' page on the gofundme website so that his friends can be a part of his repatriation. So far in little more than a week it has raised £8,245.

Speaking at their home in Coxley, near Wells, yesterday Oliver's father said If more money is raised than is needed it will be donated directly to families in Nepal whom Oliver knew from his travels.

"This is not about us. I would remortgage the house to bring our son home, but Oliver's friends were such a big part of his life and I wanted people to be uplifted by this tribute. Friends and family are bringing him home" he said. "Nepal was Oliver's favourite place. He had mountain-biked through it, as others have done of course, and when we were in Goa together he met and made friends with some Nepalese people who were working at a restaurant.

"He made friends everywhere. We know that the village where those Nepalese friends lived has suffered, that some lives have been lost and people are living under tarpaulins. Any remaining money would go directly to that community.

"We thought that people would donate 50p or £1 each to the fund, and we have been overwhelmed by the response.

"It isn't clear what happened in Cambodia and we don't know whether we will ever know.

"We asked the Foreign Office if there was any CCTV camera footage of his movements, but there isn't."

Oliver died on May 3 in Cambodia, which was May 2 in England, a quirky difference that he would have loved.

The family lived in Frome when he was a young child and he attended Trinity primary school.

His family then moved to the tiny hamlet of nearby Dean, where he and his brother, Daniel, enjoyed an idyllic childhood. "It was a wonderful place for boys to grow up," his mother said.

After leaving Whitstone School at Shepton Mallet Oliver worked for his father learning the skills needed for installing security alarms.

But he wanted a career in rigging for stages and big events, and moved on to work for world-class companies including Serious, Unusual Ltd, and Showforce.

"He had a wander lust, he was a free spirit," said his father. In his early days he helped erect the main stages at Glastonbury Festival.

He oversaw the installation of the breath-taking Harrier jet which was suspended vertically in a gallery at Tate Britain, as part of artist Fiona Banner's 'Harrier & Jaguar' exhibition.

Other work included the hanging of priceless Picassos.

He had also recently found the love of his life, Eve, a beautiful young Thai woman.

"He looked so happy with her, without a furrow on his brow," his father said.

His mother added: "He was so looking forward to bringing Eve here to show her now beautiful it was in Somerset and show her where we live."

Last Sunday some of Olly's friends gathered at the stone circle at Glastonbury Festival site to remember him, and plant a tree in his memory.

Jaz House, who works for Glastonbury Festivals, and is a friend of Olly's said: "Olly loved the festival so it was only fitting that we gathered on Sunday to say a few words and catch up with old friends and be together to remember him. Joe Lyons said some beautiful words."

To donate to the fund to return him to the West visit http://www.gofundme.com/u2axaw8? or visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/LETSBRINGOLLYHOME/857355714331564?fref+nf

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Festival-man-s-Vietnam-death-mystery/story-26510414-detail/story.html#ixzz3aMCyox8e

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[wooloomooloo]

RIP, Olly.

But, again, no travel insurance. Had the poor guy survived and needed medical treatment and subsequent repatriation the cost would have been at least three times as much as repatriation of a body.

I wouldn't be against a mandatory requirement for travel insurance when going abroad to cover the period of stay, I really wouldn't.

[shirtless]

sorry fir the loss , sounds strange he was so young

[razer]

What? .... No "AhHa ... a Thai girlfriend"? You bashers sleeping? Maybe too early in your time zone ... huh?

[morocco]

RIP, Olly.

But, again, no travel insurance. Had the poor guy survived and needed medical treatment and subsequent repatriation the cost would have been at least three times as much as repatriation of a body.

I wouldn't be against a mandatory requirement for travel insurance when going abroad to cover the period of stay, I really wouldn't.

I was a travel agent for 15 years. I owned 5 agencies. Travel insurance companies pay agents 35 to 40% commission and I can tell you that getting any money out of them for anything is a joke. I have travelled the world many times and never used it. The only way I would even consider it is on a one way situation and even then I wouldn't. It is the biggest rort ever.

Yes,have to agree with you.Travel insurance is a scam. The private clinics,hospitals and dentists there are cheap. Just be informed before traveling.

[Baerboxer]

What? .... No "AhHa ... a Thai girlfriend"? You bashers sleeping? Maybe too early in your time zone ... huh?

A Thai girlfriend in Cambodia?

Have some respect.

[mrdome]

RIP, Olly.

But, again, no travel insurance. Had the poor guy survived and needed medical treatment and subsequent repatriation the cost would have been at least three times as much as repatriation of a body.

I wouldn't be against a mandatory requirement for travel insurance when going abroad to cover the period of stay, I really wouldn't.

I was a travel agent for 15 years. I owned 5 agencies. Travel insurance companies pay agents 35 to 40% commission and I can tell you that getting any money out of them for anything is a joke. I have travelled the world many times and never used it. The only way I would even consider it is on a one way situation and even then I wouldn't. It is the biggest rort ever.

I have Health Travel insurance from Germany, just 6 Euros per year. Just submitted a claim for an incident I had while on Penang. They paid without any issues.

On the other hand, in the UK, this industry seems to be another story, charging up the duff, for starters.