AN INQUEST into the death of man who went missing during a camping trip in Australia has been opened and adjourned.

Aslan King disappeared on November 23 and was found dead in a creek near Princetown in Victoria, south Australia, two days later.

The 25-year-old illustrator and printmaker previously lived in Queensway, Brighton, and had relocated to Australia just two weeks before he died. He was on a camping trip with friends from Brighton when he went missing.

At the inquest opening at Brighton Coroner’s Court yesterday, coroner’s officer Ariana Palermo said Aslan had suffered a fall and a blow to the head after dark.

She said: “On November 23 Aslan was sitting with a group of four friends when he appeared to fall off his camping chair.

“He sat up but after a while became very agitated and ran off into the woods.”

The court heard Aslan’s friends had contacted emergency services and a search party was sent out.

Police searched for Aslan using a helicopter, horses, boats, motorcycles and sniffer dogs in the bushland near the camp site on the Victorian coast.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley said the cause of Aslan’s death is still unascertained.

She said: “For someone to become agitated after a head injury – that is not unusual.”

Ms Hamilton Deeley said an inquest for Aslan will take place in Victoria first.

She said: “The inquest in Australia will take primacy and form the backbone of the inquest here.

“Unfortunately I cannot compel any witnesses to come here to give evidence from outside England and Wales.

“Obviously the actual cause of Aslan’s death is pivotal.

“A post-mortem report is due from Victoria in February.”

Aslan’s funeral has not yet taken place.

A crowdfunding campaign which was set up last year to raise money in support of Aslan’s family and for his funeral has raised more than £13,300.

Hundreds of people have donated and paid tribute to Aslan on the JustGiving page.

One person described him as “a gentle spirit” and said he will be much missed.

Another wrote: “Nothing but beautiful things could have ever been said about Aslan.

“He was an inspiration from the moment I met him.

“Love and prayers to his family, and to everyone lucky enough to have met him.”

Ms Hamilton-Deeley said the full inquest will be adjourned until 10.30am on May 27.