Tragedy as another Kenyan student drowns in Australia

Police in western Australia have recovered the body of a 23-year-old Kenyan student who drowned while swimming at a popular swimming spot over the weekend.

Orville Kimutai Tures was last seen swimming in Stockton Lake near the town of Collie on Saturday when he went missing.

In a statement, Western Australian Police said other swimmers who were around when Kimutai drowned were unable to save him when the incident happened.

"At approximately 3.15pm on September 9, 2023, a male in his 20s went swimming at Stockton Lake, in Shotts (Collie). The male required assistance in the water and was unable to be assisted by members of the public on shore. Police attended the scene and commenced a search," the statement read in part.

Police divers recovered Kimutai' body from the water about 20 metres from shore on Monday.

Kimutai, who is from Kapteren, Elgeyo Marakwet, left for Australia in March this year. He was studying at a university in Perth.

Police said Kimutai' family had been informed of the development as they await a post-mortem report.

His family and friends have since set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to repatriate his body to Kenya.

They are asking for the public's support and prayers at this difficult time, as well as donations towards the funeral costs, which is due to take place later this month.

The latest incident comes just months after another Kenyan student died on a swimming trip in the same country.

Sharon Jepkosgei Kigen, who was new to the country after arriving in Australia in November 2022, drowned in February 2023, according to 9News.

Emergency services were called to the Georges River at Macquarie Fields after she "failed to resurface" while swimming.

New South Wales (NSW) Police said they searched the water to find her.

"Traffic and Highway Patrol officers entered the water with members of the public and began searching the water where the woman was located and brought to shore," NSW Police said in a statement.

Paramedics from NSW Ambulance performed CPR on the woman, but she could not be revived. She was a student at the Australian Catholic University-North Sydney.

Kigen, who was from Moiben, Uasin Gishu, was laid to rest after her family and friends set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to repatriate her body to Kenya.

The family managed to raise Sh4 million through the platform.