Son's stadium tribute to dad missing in Nepal flood

A man whose parents are missing following catastrophic floods in Nepal paid tribute to his father at Coventry City's first Premier League match against Hull City.

Anant Patel, 29, said his father Bipin was a lifelong Sky Blues supporter, so he placed his club shirt and scarf on his empty seat in the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday.

Patel said he was told by the Foreign Office on Sunday that Chinese authorities had officially classified his father, 66, and mother, Mala, 60, as missing after they crossed from Nepal into Tibet before a landslide struck the Gyirong border crossing last Wednesday.

"It is a step in the right direction for the full picture on what exactly has happened," Patel said.

In an interview with BBC CWR, Patel said that the update was "difficult to hear", but it had given him "a bit of clarity".

"I am doing my best to draw on my personal religious and spiritual philosophy to guide me through.

"I have used the phrase 'stay strong', and I think that is the main thing to do."

Patel added that he had been "overwhelmed" by messages of support for himself and his wider family.

He thanked stewards at Coventry City's stadium for helping him place his father's shirt and scarf on his vacant seat before the game, which Hull won 1-0.

"My dad is a season ticket holder in the North Stand, so I thought it would be fitting," Patel explained.

"My dad bought me the scarf as a souvenir when we were both together at the Blackburn away game when Coventry City secured their place in the Premier League – it had a lot of sentimental value to me."

Patel said his father had supported the Sky Blues for more than 40 years and lived in the city for five decades.

His parents run a tuition business in Coventry, which he said he would continue operating on their behalf.

He last heard from them on 25 August, as they were progressing on a pilgrimage through Nepal on the way to Tibet.

Early the following day, floodwater crashed through the border region, destroying towns and bridges and leaving hundreds dead and thousands missing, including 33 British nationals.

"I was aware that they were going to be crossing the border from Nepal into China at some point," Patel said. "They had an original itinerary, and due to the weather conditions there was naturally some deviation.

"But since the news on Wednesday, when the news broke of the landslide, I haven't heard from them."

Patel said that he is still hoping for further clarity on what has happened to his parents.

"Ultimately, there is always that bit of hope until it is officially ruled out," he added.

The death toll following the flood has surpassed 1,000, according to Nepal's disaster agency.

More than 3,900 people remain missing.

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