Brazilian man, 19, visiting family in London, dies swimming at Camber Sands

A rescue helicopter is seen at the scene of a rescue operation in Camber Sands
Philip Smith
Hannah Al-Othman25 July 2016

A man who died after getting into difficulty while swimming at a popular beach has been named as a 19-year-old from Brazil.

Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, who was visiting family in Croydon, south London, was one of three men who got into trouble in the water at Camber Sands in East Sussex on Sunday afternoon.

His body was found following a major search by Coastguard and RNLI teams.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "The 19-year-old man, who had been visiting Camber, was found at 6.20pm but was declared dead at the scene. He has been named as Gustavo Silva Da Cruz.

"His death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed.

A rescue worker is lowered to the water to try and help the victim

"The other two people, not connected to Gustavo, a 35-year-old man and his 17-year-old son visiting from London, remain critical but stable."

Inspector Mark Evans, of Sussex Police, said: "It seems this has been three people who have got into trouble while swimming with the changing tides and coastline."

Emma Watson was on the beach with family members including her three young children, and witnessed the rescue.

The 35-year-old care assistant, from Banstead, Surrey, said she saw people receiving first aid on the beach.

A rescue helicopter scours the sea at Camber Sands yesterday

She said: "It was absolutely horrific. The kids are now absolutely traumatised."

She described conditions on the beach as windy.

She said: "The tide was coming in rapidly, very quick. The current was very strong, it was very windy."

Police dismissed earlier reports that the men had been stung by jellyfish. The force tweeted: "To clarify the men got into difficulty in the sea at Camber & were not stung by jellyfish as is being reported in some places."

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