My wife died saving daughter

A woman who had travelled to Sri Lanka to open an orphanage died after saving her daughter's life when the tsunami devastated their hotel villa.

June Abeyratne saved Alex, 11, by pushing her out of a window as the building flooded with water. Her husband Viraj, who survived because he had gone out when the tsunami struck their beachside hotel, found her body three days later.

Mrs Abeyratne, 48, the managing director of south London children's model agency, Little Acorns, was in Sri Lanka to investigate the possibility of opening an orphanage in her husband's native country.

Mr Abeyratne, 42, told of the moment he found his daughter in the devastation. He said: "I found my young one holding on in a tree. My wife had broken the bathroom window to get her out." His wife drowned because the window was too small for her to fit through.

"I had gone out alone because my daughter was not well," he said. "When we made our way back there was water everywhere. The hotel was submerged and there was thousands of gallons of water pouring back towards the sea. I swam across and found my daughter in a tree. She had hit her head but had survived."

Mr Abeyratne spent three days searching for his wife. He found her body hundreds of yards from the hotel. "She was so brave. She was a wonderful woman," he said.

As the Government admitted the toll of British victims is likely to be at least 199, the names of others confirmed dead or feared to have died continue to emerge. The father of musical actor Ross Baker said there is little hope for his son, who was holidaying on Koh Phi Phi in Thailand.

Mr Baker's cousin, Jodie Baker, and his brother, Peter, flew out on Saturday to search for him. Mr Baker was on a break from his role in Fame: The Musical. Father-of-three Barry Mr Lloyd-Jones, 68, and his wife Kat, from Broom, Warwickshire, were in Khao Lak. Mrs Lloyd-Jones, 56, was found last Wednesday 100 miles away, having spent days searching for her husband, a former journalist. Their son Nigel has since flown out and is continuing the search.

Sound engineer Kevin Brickel, 32, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, had been on holiday with his Thai girlfriend in Phi Phi. His brother, Martin, said: "We have not given up hope, but it's come to the point where we have to be prepared for the worst."

Friends Alice Claypoole and Luke Puddy, both 31, who shared a house in Tufnell Park are reported missing from Khao Lak.

Melanie Clough, 46, from Wimbledon, is presumed dead after being caught in the tidal wave on Khao Lak Beach.

Mrs Clough was on holiday with her husband, Simon, and three children, all of whom returned home safely.

Missing teacher Hannah Tugwell, from Chainhurst, near Maidstone, was in Khoa Lak with husband Matthew. He was swept out of their beach cottage and survived. The body of Lisa May, 25, of Cheltenham, has been recovered in Phi Phi. Ms May went to Thailand be bridesmaid at her sister Nicola's wedding.

Former Times correspondent-Robert Whyman, 60, was killed as he swam near his hotel in Sri Lanka with Japanese wife, Minako.

Scottish advertising tycoon Peter Latta, has not been heard of since going to Phuket. Mr Latta, 64, of Chelsea, spent three months every winter in Thailand.

Justin Ledingham, 29, travelled from Shanghai for a holiday with his new fiancée, Seda Tekoz, 29, who is Turkish. His mother Val and father Hamish identified his body by a unique pendant he wore. Ms Tekoz is still lost.

Missing Benjamin Watts, 29, and Nova Mills, 28, who grew up in Yorkshire, had been staying in Krabi with their partners, who are recovering from injuries.

British hotelier Michael Trickett, 58, is still trying to find his wife Phensiri and four-year-old son, Michael, in Phuket. He had been working in his hotel and shop on the seafront at Kaoh Lak with his wife, 40. Mr Trickett said: "I have to accept there is not much chance of a miracle, but even so I want to know what happened to my wife and son."

Father of one Jez Stephens, 29, from Norwhich, was found dead in a temple in Krabi by his friends on Sunday.

Holly Riddle, in her early twenties, from Nutbourne, West Sussex, died in Krabi. She had been on holiday with her father Nicholas, mother Sally and sister Mazie, six.

Lincoln Abraham, 34-yearold city broker from Hampstead, is confirmed dead. He was on holiday in Thailand with friends who survived.

West Ham fan Ron Brown, from Reading, a regular at Phuket, is still missing. Paul Clarke and Colleen Mac-Donald were in the same party and were last seen diving in Khao Lak. Peter Harrison, of Liverpool, arrived in Bangkok on December 19. He travelled to Pattya to meet his Thai girlfriend, Toi.

Father of three Stephen Magson, 54, from York, remains missing in Phuket. His wife, Denise and daughter, India, survived.

Conservationist Lisa Jones went missing while working at the Golden Buddha beach resort on the island of Koh Phra Thong in Thailand.

She left her family home in Windsor, three years ago to work for the charity Naucrates on sea turtle and mangrove conservation projects.