Tributes paid to student, 17, who drowned on school trip to Sussex beach

Tributes were paid to a young futsal coach who “brought joy to everyone he met” after he died on a school trip to a beach to celebrate the end of term.

Samuel Oluwagbenga, 17, was part of a group of students from Uxbridge College in west London, who were visiting West Wittering in West Sussex on 2 July.

The teenager reportedly got into difficulty in the sea in what has been described as a “tragic accident” by his college principal. He was airlifted to hospital but died.

A fundraiser looking to raise money for the teenager’s funeral has raised more than £7,200 so far.

A statement from the TikiTaca Futsal Academy in Uxbridge, where Mr Oluwagbenga worked, was posted to his JustGiving page.

Yaseen Ebrahim wrote: “Samuel was an energetic 17-year-old and brought so much joy to everyone he met. He loved his little brother and on his weekends, he spent his time coaching younger children futsal in the Uxbridge Community. We are completely heartbroken by his passing.

“With the emotional pain and distress this brings, the financial burden on Samuel’s family is an added stress. During this difficult time, we are reaching out to the community to help us raise money for Taiwo, Samuel’s mother for any funeral expenses. All funds will be wired directly to Taiwo. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.”

One friend posted on Instagram: “Thanks so much for showing love and care. To my best friend, I hope wherever he is, he is happy. We are truly in pain. Thinking about him every second. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face. It’s a lot to take in.”

Emergency services received a call of concern for the teenager’s welfare in the water at the beach in West Wittering, near Chichester , at around 1pm on 2 July.

A college spokesperson said the student got into difficulty in the sea and “tragically it was not possible to save them”.

Uxbridge College principal Dylan McTaggart said: “This was a tragic accident that has had a huge impact on everyone here. Our priority now is to look after all those affected.

“We have enlisted the help of qualified counsellors and will make sure that over the next days and weeks we have staff and professional support available to our community.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and we ask that you respect their privacy as they grieve the loss of a child.”

Detective inspector Darren Taylor from Sussex Police said officers are investigating to establish the full facts, supported by the Health and Safety Executive.

“This was an absolutely tragic incident and I would like to express my sincere condolences to the boy’s loved ones at this heartbreaking time,” he said.

“We are asking anyone who has any information that could help to contact us online or via 101, quoting Operation Redhill.”