Broome man’s death mystery, says friend

Friends are mourning the unexplained death of Broome man Dave “Butcher” Reardon, who died in Cambodia last week.

Mr Reardon, 38, was four weeks into a five-week holiday when a travelling companion from Broome noticed he was struggling to breathe in his hotel bed.

By the time he was taken to hospital, he was dead.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said: “We can confirm a 38-year-old Australian man died in Phnom Penh, Cambodia,on January 11.We are providing consular assistance to the man’s family.”

Best friend Sam Bettess, of Red Dirt Marine, Broome, said he found out on Friday.

“We were devastated,” he said. “His mate noticed he was struggling for air and, by the time he got to hospital, he was gone.

“His friend only got back into town yesterday and he is pretty cut up.”

Mr Bettess described his pal as a “bit of a larrikin”, who “didn’t mind a beer”.

“I have known him for six years,” he said.

“We would always go out fishing, crabbing and drinking and just being general larrikins really. He was a bloke’s bloke.

“We were shocked when we heard – it has been a terrible week.”

Mr Reardon used to work at oil and gas logistics firm Toll Mermaid in Broome.

“He worked his way up and became operations manager at Ocean and Earth Training, teaching people how to use high-risk equipment like forklifts and cranes,” Mr Bettess said.

“We all had a bit of a drink in his memory at the Divers Tavern at Cable Beach on Sunday.”

Mr Bettess said he was uncertain about the circumstances surrounding his friend’s death or how he died.

“It has been a bit blurry,” he said. “Too many unknowns mate, being over there – everything has been sketchy.

“I have been in touch with his brother and his family are from Sydney. They might hold the funeral here but it is too early yet, they are still trying to get his body back from Cambodia.”