Indian teenage football player dies in Australia after being swept away in sea

Five Indian girls who were in Australia for a school football tournament were swept away in the sea whilst at Glenelg beach in Adelaide on Sunday, with one of them found dead this morning.

In a tragic turn of events, five Indian girls were swept away in the sea whilst at Glenelg beach in Adelaide on Sunday, with one of them found dead this morning.

Five Indian girls who were in Australia for a school football tournament were swept away in the sea at Glenelg beach in Adelaide on Sunday, with one of them found dead this morning. Image for representative purposes only. (Getty Images)

The life-savers successfully managed to rescue three of the five girls at first before rescuing the fourth near Holdfast Marina around 5:50pm. The body of the deceased, identified as 15-year-old Nitisha Negi, was recovered by the police near Glenelg around 7:30am today.

The girls were part of under-18 team representing India in the Pacific School Games and were swimming near breakwater rocks when they were swept away, according to Adelaide Now.

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Despite launching an emergency search for Nitisha on Sunday, operations had to be called off later in the day owing to poor light.

School Sports Australia put out a statement following the tragedy. “Following the completion of the Games on Saturday there was a tragic accident at Glenelg beach yesterday which has taken the life of one of the members of the visiting Indian delegation,” it stated.

“All involved in the Games send our condolences to the Indian team, family and friends of the deceased student. The thoughts of all in the Pacific School Games family are also with the four members of the team who are still in hospital. School Sport Australia is offering full support and assistance to the Indian Delegation,” it added.

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There have been previous cases of drowning near the breakwater section of the Glenelg. Last year, two 11-year-old boys had drowned in the same place. Back in 2007, a 17-year-old had drowned near breakwater owing to the strong currents in the area.

According to a report in The Indian Express, all the four girls who were rescued on Sunday had to be taken to various hospitals. It further stated that Negi’s father has urged the authorities concerned to bring back the body to India as soon as possible while demanding an inquiry into the tragedy.