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Body Of Drowned College Student From Redding Found In South Africa

REDDING, Conn. -- The body of a 19-year-old Redding man who drowned while swimming in waters off of South Africa was found on Friday, according to a report to SABC News.

The body of Nicholas Upton of Redding, 19, was found in the waters off of South Africa. The George Washington University student drowned while swimming last Saturday.

The body of Nicholas Upton of Redding, 19, was found in the waters off of South Africa. The George Washington University student drowned while swimming last Saturday.

Photo Credit: Daily Voice File Photo

Nicholas Upton, a junior at George Washington University was pulled away by a riptide while swimming in the East Cape Province at about 11 p.m. Sunday, according to a statement from the university.

“Although we are saddened by this great loss, we are thankful for Nick's life and his work for Alpha Nu,’’ Kappa Alpha Order at George Washington wrote on its Facebook page. “We are also thankful for your help and support in the search for Nick over the past 5 days. We will be working together with Nick's family on plans to honor Nick and keep his memory alive."

Rescuers called off the search for his body on Tuesday. His parents traveled to South Africa to conduct their own search in an effort to bring Upton home.

Upton, a 2013 graduate of Joel Barlow High School in Redding, was studying abroad at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He was on a spring vacation at a holiday lodge on the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape with 11 other students, according to the National Sea Rescue Institute.

A Go Fund Me established on Tuesday raised more than $83,000 to help his mother and stepfather, Margarat and Mark Mirowski, travel to South Africa to search for their son. Mark Mirowski is a full-time firefighter and volunteer in Easton.

Nicholas Upton was a member of the George Washington men's rowing team. He also rowed for Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport prior to college. His major is international affairs with a concentration in African studies.

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