A Qatar resident who died this week while on holiday in Spain is being remembered as “loyal, loving and hard-working”, friends said as they paid tribute to him.

Sam Alger, 25, who worked in Doha as a performance analyst for the Qatar Stars League, was found dead by Spanish police in the town of Viladecans, outside Barcelona, yesterday.

The circumstances around his death are under investigation.

He had last been seen at a party in Elrow nightclub on Sunday. Friends said he left his brother and friends at around midnight.

Following his disappearance, an appeal for information was launched yesterday with a Facebook page Find Sam Alger Missing in Barcelona.

Late last night the site was updated to say that Alger, who was from Norfolk in the UK, had died.

“We are devastated to announce he was dead at the scene,” the post said.  “Sam was one of the kindest most genuine and loving people anyone could wish to know and to have him taken from us is truly heart-breaking.”

His body was found by police yesterday (June 21). His parents had flown to Spain to join friends in the search for him.

UK media reports said Alger’s body was found in a drainage ditch. An autopsy is expected to take place in Spain today.

‘Heartbroken’

Alger had worked in Qatar for nearly four years, his close friend and Doha resident Abbie Goodson told Doha News.

“Sam was a huge part of our lives. He was a loyal, loving and hardworking guy, and a devoted family man. Our friends are devastated and we all send our sincere condolences to his wonderful family – mum Eileen, father Micky and brother Robbie,” she said in a statement.

Goodson said she had last seen Alger several weeks ago, before he left Doha at the end of the football season for his summer vacation. He had been due to return to Qatar next month.

Qatar resident Warren Gregson wrote: “Think I speak on behalf of all his friends and colleagues here in Qatar when I say Sam was a true gent, we are devastated.”

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