The cause of death remains unknown for a three-year-old boy from Dagenham who died while on a family holiday in Greece, despite a British post-mortem now being conducted following significant delays.
Tragic Death Abroad
Three-year-old Ahsanul Hoque Izyan, of Lewis Way, Dagenham, is believed to have drowned on April 13 during a family trip to Greece. Coroner’s officer Jean Smyth told East London Coroner’s Court that Ahsanul had “slipped away unnoticed by adults” before he was later found unresponsive in a swimming pool.
No official records from the Greek investigation into the incident have yet been provided to UK authorities.
Delayed Autopsy Raises Concerns
A previous hearing on May 15 heard that efforts to conduct a post-mortem in the UK had stalled due to the shortage of specialist paediatric pathologists, with senior coroner Graeme Irvine warning the delay could degrade crucial forensic evidence. Mr Irvine publicly criticised a staff member from the office of Dagenham and Rainham MP Margaret Mullane for intervening with coronial staff over the backlog.
The post-mortem was eventually completed, but pathologists have so far not determined a cause of death, pending histology results.
Inquest Proceedings Underway
At a May 22 hearing, coroner Nadia Persaud said she was “satisfied this death occurred in circumstances requiring an inquest,” a process designed to explore unexplained or unnatural deaths and identify whether future tragedies might be preventable.
She asked for more information from the family about Ahsanul’s background and the events surrounding his death, and said she would be requesting support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to obtain:
- Greek police investigation statements
- The official Greek post-mortem report
- The outcome of the Greek authorities’ investigation
The final inquest has been scheduled for December 3, 2025.
What the Coroner Said
“From the family, I would like some general background information about Ahsanul, any information they can provide about the circumstances surrounding his death and if they have any specific concerns surrounding his death, details of those concerns,”
— Coroner Nadia Persaud
