Singapore's state coroner's court has ruled that singer Zubeen Garg's death was an accidental drowning with no evidence of foul play.
Garg, who was in Singapore for a cultural festival, died on September 19, 2025, during a private yacht outing.
Evidence presented during the coroner's inquiry suggested that Garg had consumed alcohol before boarding the yacht and appeared visibly unsteady.
Witnesses told the court that Garg initially wore a life jacket but later removed it due to a poor fit.
The court found that Garg returned to the yacht in an exhausted state and attempted a second swim, but refused to wear a properly sized life jacket offered to him.
Video evidence reviewed during the inquiry showed Garg's swimming was laboured and unsteady, and he turned back towards the yacht possibly due to fatigue or physical discomfort before becoming unresponsive in the water.
Other swimmers quickly moved to assist him and brought him back on board, but he was pronounced dead at Singapore General Hospital.
A post-mortem examination confirmed drowning as the cause of death, and toxicology findings showed a high level of alcohol in his bloodstream, which would have significantly impaired his coordination and judgment.
The coroner noted Garg's medical history, including hypertension and epilepsy, but said there was insufficient evidence to conclude that a seizure occurred at the time of the incident.
