Teenager who drowned swimming in a lake with his friends is identified a rising rugby league star
- A teenager who drowned on Monday at Lake Parramatta has been identified
- The victim was identified as rising rugby league star Daniel Jr Cama, 16
- Police divers were called to the scene around 2pm on Monday
- The teen’s body was pulled out of the water just before 6pm
- Relatives performed a haka as Daniel’s body was taken away
A teenager who drowned while swimming with his friends has been identified as a rising rugby league player who was set for a breakout year.
The family outing to a Sydney lake turned into a tragedy after Daniel Jr Cama, 16, went missing in the water before his body was pulled from Lake Parramatta.
Daniel had just been selected to play for the Sydney Roosters in the Harold Matthews Ball under-16s competition which will begin in February.
Schoolboy and rising rugby league player Daniel Jr Cama, 16, (pictured) has been identified as the teenager who drowned while swimming with friends at Lake Parramatta on Monday
Emergency services were called to Lake Parramatta, in Sydney’s west, around 2pm on Monday after the teen failed to resurface from the water while swimming with friends
His former club, Wentworth United Junior Rugby League Club, posted a tribute to the young league player.
‘It’s with very sad news that one of our Wenty juniors Daniel Jnr Cama passed away yesterday while swimming with mates,’ the post read.
‘We at Wentworthville give our love n (sic) condolences to his family and friends.
‘Rest In Peace Daniel.’
Emergency services were called to the popular swimming hole around 2pm after receiving reports a swimmer had failed to resurface from the water.
The incident sparked a land, air and water search operation, with lifeguards diving in to search for the boy to no avail – before police stepped in.
Police divers desperately searched underwater for hours, before finding his body just before 6pm.
Daniel’s was recovered from a lake several metres deep and outside the marked swimming area, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Helicopters had joined in on the search, hovering around the lake in hopes of spotting the missing teen from the sky.
A group of six men paid their respects with a Haka as the teenager’s remains were taken away from the scene
Loved ones appeared distraught as they spoke to police officers during the search for Daniel’s body
Footage of the search and rescue mission showed anxious family members looking on as emergency services scoured the area.
‘We just heard some people screaming and they said someone was underwater,’ a witness told 7News.
‘Everyone’s coming here to get away from the heat and get a little bit of swim, but after today I don’t know if that’s gonna still happen,’ he added.
Parramatta Lake was evacuated during the search and will remain closed until further notice.
Friends and relatives performed an emotional haka at Parramatta Lake, in Sydney’s west on Monday afternoon, after police divers recovered the teenager’s body.
A group of six men were seen paying their respects as the boy’s remains were taken away.
The body of Daniel Cama being pulled from a Sydney lake hours after he disappeared while swimming on Monday afternoon
A woman appeared emotional and was comforted by a man after the teen’s body was found at Lake Parramatta
‘We just heard some people screaming and they said someone was underwater,’ a witness told 7News.
‘Everyone’s coming here to get away from the heat and get a little bit of swim, but after today I don’t know if that’s gonna still happen,’ he added.
Three volunteer lifesavers from Surf Life Saving Australia were on duty at the time after the lake was reopened for swimming five years ago with life guards on during school and summer holidays.
A brief will be prepared for the information of the coroner, police said in a statement.
Volunteer lifesavers from Surf Life Saving Australia were on duty at the time after the lake was reopened for swimming five years ago with life guards on during school and summer holidays