Three British tourists have died while climbing waterfalls in Vietnam

Three British tourists have died while climbing waterfalls in Vietnam with an unauthorised tour guide.

The bodies of two women, aged 19 and 25, and a man - named this afternoon as Christian Sloan - were recovered at the Datanla waterfalls in the Lam Dong central highlands province of the country. 

Police believe the tourists might have slipped when exploring the area and officers have arrested their tour guide.The bodies of two women, aged 19 and 25, and a man were recovered at the Datanla waterfalls in the Lam Dong central highlands province of the country.Mr Tan said an unauthorised local private tour operator arranged the tour for the tourists and apparently did not pay for entrance tickets and did not use the company's safety gear.Vo Anh Tan, deputy director of the Lam Dong joint stock tourist company that manages the Datanla waterfalls, said visitors usually start at the top of the tiered waterfall, which is popular among Western tourists.

Mr Tan said an unauthorised local private operator arranged the tour and apparently did not pay for entrance tickets and did not use the company's safety gear.

He said the guide has been detained by police for questioning.Family and friends said they are devastated and that Mr Sloan died 'whilst living his dreams'.

'Christian's death is a very sad loss to us. He was a very popular young man, formerly in the Royal Navy, who had many, many friends not just locally but around the world. He lived for life,' his family said in a short statement.  

His cousin, who goes by the name Double O on Twitter, wrote: 'Devastated to hear that my cousin Christian Sloan had passed to the other side whilst living his dreams.

'Heart breaking rest well cuz xxx.'

Lucie Elizabeth wrote on Facebook: 'Cannot believe what I've just heard another angel taken far too soon Christian Sloan my thoughts go out to all of your family at this sad time.'The state-run Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper said the bodies of two women and a man were recovered.

The waterfalls are outside Dalat, a mountainous city that draws tourists with its crystal lakes and steep waterfalls.

'We are working on the reasons for their deaths,' Dalat city's deputy police chief Bui Duc Ro told AFP.

The Foreign Office said: 'We are providing support to the families of three British nationals following their deaths near Da Lat, Vietnam. Our sympathies are with their families and friends at this difficult time. We are in close contact with local authorities in Vietnam on their behalf.'

State-run media said the two women were aged 25 and 19 and had entered Vietnam at the start of the month, but the police officer could not confirm their identities.

Emergency workers reportedly climbed down a steep slope near the waterfall to recover the bodies, which were found wearing life jackets.

Visitors can rappel down the 20-metre waterfall as well as luge around the site.

In 2013 British scientist Jamie Taggart went missing in Vietnam's Sa Pa jungle and was never found despite search efforts by local authorities.