A 15-year-old girl named Nitisha Negi has drowned in a beach in Australia, where she had gone to represent India as part of the Under-15 football team at the Pacific Asian Games.
Nitisha drowned at the Holdfast marina at Glenelg, where she had reportedly gone with four others.
The local police confirmed just after 8 am local time on Monday that her body had been found. Local authorities are reportedly trying to make arrangements for her mortal remains to be sent back to India.
Tragic turn of events
Nitish had gone into the sea for swimming around 6 pm on Sunday local time with four of her friends but faced trouble while near some breakwater rocks.
An official statement from the South Australia Police said: "About 5.50pm on Sunday, December 10, the police were called to the area after reports that a group of teenagers were in difficulty in the water."
They added in the statement: "Four teenage girls (all Indian nationals) were rescued by local surf lifesavers and taken to hospital, however one girl was unable to be located."
The statement, released at 8:07 am local time on Monday, also said that they "resumed the water, land and air search at first light this morning," and finally located "the missing 15-year-old's body a short time ago near the breakwater."
Body being brought back
Graeme Jennings, President of School Sport Australia, said in a statement: "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."
He added: "The thoughts of all in the Pacific School Games family are also with the four members of the team who are still in the hospital. School Sport Australia is offering full support and assistance to the Indian Delegation."
Australia's Minister for Recreation and Sport, Leon Bignell, said the government had contacted Nitisha's family, and also that Indian Consular General's Office in Sydney had sent representatives to Adelaide.
"We've stepped in as a government with counselling services, which are already underway, and we'll also pay the costs of getting this young girl back to India," he was quoted as saying by Adelaide Now on Monday morning.
