Prague - A Romanian Roma teenager, whose relatives descended on Prague to pray for his recovery after a swimming accident, died Monday, a hospital said.

Ion Miclescu, 17, who was destined to become one of his clan's leaders, had been hospitalized in a coma since July 22 after he nearly drowned in a lake outside Prague. He took a swim to refresh himself during his family's travels through Europe, his relatives said.

Miclescu, who had been breathing with the help of a respirator and had been on dialysis, died of "brain death", hospital spokeswoman Jana Jelinkova said. She refused to specify whether doctors took him off life support after confirming that his brain was dead.

The teenager's extended family gathered in the Czech capital soon after the swimming accident to support Miclescu who is seen as a kind of prince.

The family initially pitched camp near the Vinohrady Hospital but was forced to move several times as the impromptu camps met with residents' resistance and broke local rules.

The clan finally found refuge on a meadow, which has been provided by its owner, in the village of Husinec outside Prague. But the locals have also opposed that camp. Husinec's mayor unsuccessfully asked police to evict the family from the premises.

The clan, whose members gathered by the hospital on Monday, hopes to transport the remains to Romania for burial, the CTK news agency reported citing relatives.(dpa)