Thousand miles from his home in Thailand’s Phitsanulok province, exchange student Sirawich “Jo” Chantaburanan, 18, drowned on Tuesday in an attempt to save another unnamed exchange student at Frisco Beach, North Carolina.
Jo, a junior at Pennsylvania’s State College Area High School, in the town of State College, took a vacation to the beach with his friends and one of the boys’ host family. On Tuesday afternoon, Jo went out into the water on his boogie board to help one of his friends, who returned to shore safely, but Jo did not.
Authorities said Jo’s boogie board washed up on shore, and rescue personnel began searching for him.
Jo’s body was discovered Wednesday morning, reported Centre Daily.
“Because Jo spent the entire year as an active State High student, he developed close relationships with both classmates and teachers,” said Superintendent Bob O’Donnell. “Our heavy hearts go out to his loved ones and friends struggling with their pain and loss, and we wish them the strength and courage to carry on without a young man suddenly taken from them.”
Meanwhile in Thailand, Director of the Rotary Youth Exchange, Anoma Maklin, said that she has been informed of his death, and the organization is working on transferring his body back to Thailand.
Anoma added that his family has been notified of the death of their only child, Phitsanulok Hot News reported.
Jo was one of only eight Thai students who participated in the exchange program. He was flown to the U.S. in July of last year. His exchange program was supposed to finish in just a few days.
