He died too soon, says father of drowned boy

THE father of a teenager who drowned on a family trip to the seaside says he is in disbelief at his death.

Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, who was visiting his father in Croydon on a summer holiday from his home in Brazil, was dragged out to sea by a rip current off Camber Sands, near Rye, at noon on Sunday.

His body was found after a six-hour search involving helicopters, lifeboats and the coastguard. His father Gutenberg Cruz, who joined the search for his son, told the Standard: “My oldest son came to London and drowned on the beach and died. It is so soon, I can’t believe it.”

Gustavo’s friends and family are now raising money to transport his body back to Sao Paulo, where he lived with his mother and grandparents.

Drica Santini, a friend who was with the party on the beach, launched an appeal to help pay for the repatriation which reached almost £9,000 in less than 24 hours. She wrote: “I ask you all to help this father to send the body of his son to Brazil so that Gustavo can have the funeral along with their family.”

Two other people, a father and son from London, who also got into difficulty, are today still in hospital. Sussex police said Gustavo’s death was not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed. A spokesman said: “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.”