Mother of Missing UK Man Joshua Kershaw Confirms His Death in Thailand

The body of Joshua Kershaw, a young man from Grimsby who had been reported missing in Thailand, has been found, his mother confirmed on January 21, 2026. She is now working to repatriate his remains to the UK. Joshua, last seen in the tourist town of Pattaya on January 12, was scheduled to board a flight to London Heathrow from Bangkok on January 19 at 20:30 local time. When he failed to board the flight that was set to arrive on January 20 at 06:25, he was classified as a high-risk missing person, prompting a police search, according to Yorkshire Live.

Joshua’s disappearance sparked concern and a fundraising campaign via GoFundMe initiated by his family to aid in the search efforts. Tragically, his mother shared an update on social media, expressing her heartbreak over the news. She wrote, “As much as my heart is breaking right now. We have now located Josh. But unfortunately, he was not alive. We are now trying to get his body back to the UK.”

Responses to her post poured in, with hundreds of friends and family members offering condolences. One user commented, “So sorry Jen, thinking of you all right now. Been thinking of you all week; was praying he was safe. So sad, RIP Josh.” Another said, “Absolutely heartbreaking, Jen. Thinking of you, your beautiful girls, and family! Sending you all so much love.” Many shared their memories of Joshua, describing him as a beautiful person inside and out.

The news of Joshua’s death has deeply affected his community, reflecting the impact of his absence on family and friends. As arrangements are made to bring him back to the UK, his family continues to receive support during this challenging time.