British student, 17, dies after 'disappearing in lake' on school trip to Africa

A London schoolboy has died after he drowned while snorkelling on a school trip to Malawi.

Eugene Enoch Kwon, 17, vanished on Tuesday whilst swimming alongside fellow students in Lake Malawi at Cape Maclear.

Divers discovered him beneath the water following a search operation.

He was transported to Monkey Bay Community Hospital, where medical staff declared him dead.

Police confirmed that suffocation from drowning was the cause of death.

Euegene attended the £30,000-a-year Hampton School in Richmond-upon-Thames, London.

A spokesman for the school confirmed one of its students had died on the camping trip.

"Our thoughts, love and deepest sympathies are with the pupil's family and loved ones at this unimaginably difficult time," the spokesman said.

"At present, our focus is supporting the pupil's family and everyone affected within our school community."

Superintendent Patrick Mussa of the Malawi Police Service confirmed that an urgent search was launched as soon as the teenager went missing.

He said: "After an extensive search, divers located him underwater."

The tragedy follows another death involving a London pupil on a school trip just weeks ago.

Umar Dumbuya,18, died while hiking near Glasbury in Powys during a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition, an inquest heard.

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Emergency services were quickly called to the popular bathing spot amid reports a man could "not be located".

The inquest heard how the teen "became submerged by the current and failed to resurface".

"We are heartbroken by the loss of our son, brother and grandson," a family statement said.

"There are no words that can describe the pain we are feeling as a family."

They described Umar as a "loving boy" who enjoyed "spending time playing basketball, attending the gym, and spending time with friends and family".

The family added: "We will always remember Umar for his kindness, warmth, and sense of humour.

"His death has left a devastating hole in our family and we now ask for privacy as we take time to grieve."

Leyton Sixth Form College, where Umar was a student, said it was "deeply saddened" by his death.

A spokesman for the Duke of Edinburgh awards said it was "liaising closely with the young person's college and relevant authorities to understand how this tragic incident happened".

The investigation into Umar's death continues, and an inquest has been opened.

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