The Queenstown teenager who drowned while holidaying with his family on the Gold Coast in Australia was "exciting to be around, always smiling and never on a down buzz", one of his closest friends said yesterday.
The body of apprentice signwriter Richard Doyle (19) was recovered from the waters off South Stradbroke Island on Thursday morning, about 15km from where he was last seen and after a four-day search.
Mr Doyle was identified by his father, Peter Doyle, chairman of the Wakatipu High School board of trustees.
Family members, including sons Matt (21) and Timmy (16), were with him.
Queensland police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
Building apprentice Matt Grant (18), of Arrowtown, said he was friends with Richard Doyle for about 10 years.
They attended Arrowtown Primary School and Wakatipu High School together, until the fifth form, when Mr Doyle became an apprentice signwriter.
The third-year apprentice was employed at Bachop Visual Imaging Ltd, in Dunedin, from last winter and was due to be qualified in six to eight months.
Mr Grant said he was "devastated" to hear of the loss of Mr Doyle.
"I was just shocked. I felt for his dad as soon as I heard; it's the third family member he's lost in five and a-half months.
"I still can't really believe it. The waiting was the hardest part.
"Everyone's just really down. His first girlfriend knew him best and had it worst. They were together for two years."
Mr Doyle had been excited to relocate to Dunedin, but missed his family and friends and wanted to move back home.
He enjoyed visiting Australia because relatives lived there, but the Wakatipu was his first love, Mr Grant said.
Mr Doyle played the cornet and trumpet and had joined a brass band in Dunedin.
"We did a lot of biking in our early days, then we'd drive around together when we got our licences," Mr Grant said.
"We'd go rabbit shooting occasionally. We seemed to have a lot of partying, really.
"He had full energy in everything he did."
About 50 people had joined the tribute page "Rest In Peace Richard Doyle" on a social networking website by last night, and numbers were still rising.
In a statement yesterday, the Doyle family said they had no comment and requested media privacy while they grieved.
"The family greatly appreciates the outpouring of support from their friends and local community and is coping as best as possible with the tragedy," the statement said.
Information about Mr Doyle's funeral service would be released early next week.
