Mother of British man killed by sea snake in Australia says her son was 'living his dream'

The mother of a British man who died after being bitten by a sea snake off Darwin, Australia says her son was "living his dream".

Harry Evans, 23, was bitten by a sea snake while working on a trawler off the northern Australian coast and died before a rescue helicopter could reach him on Friday.

"Harry was not a backpacker, he was working in a job he loved and was living his dream," Mr Evans mother Sharon Evans told news agency Press Association.

"He had contact with his family and friends at home regularly and couldn't have been any more loved."We couldn't have been prouder of him."

A friend of Mr Evans, George Jackson-Carter paid tribute to him on Facebook writing, "RIP Harry Evans, you were one of the most kind hearted and funniest people I've ever met. Always made everyone laugh and smile."

St John Ambulance spokesman Craig Garraway said there was little that emergency services could do to help the man in such a remote location. Mr Garraway estimated the victim died within two hours of being bitten.

The man was officially declared dead when the trawler reached the coastal town of Borroloola, police said.

The British High Commission had been informed, police said.