Person who drowned off Vancouver's Wreck Beach identified as student from India

An online fundraiser has identified the person who drowned off Wreck Beach near the University of B.C. last week as a student from India.

Rahul Ranwa, 26, was the victim of the drowning that was reported at the popular clothing-optional beach on April 17, according to a GoFundMe set up in his name.

According to the fundraiser, which was set up by Ranwa's cousin Yuvraj Singh, Ranwa was studying at Vancouver Community College in the master of business administration program, and also worked a part-time job since his arrival in Canada last year.

"Beyond funeral and repatriation costs, we are also raising funds to help clear the debts taken by his parents in India for his education and relocation," the fundraiser reads.

"Rahul's dreams were built on their sacrifices, and we want to ease the financial burden they are left carrying in the midst of unimaginable grief."

Details of the drowning have been scarce, but RCMP say that they responded to calls of a distressed swimmer at Wreck Beach on Thursday, with the man reportedly "yelling for help and struggling to swim."

A bystander reportedly attempted to rescue the man but returned to shore and lost sight of him.

Authorities had deployed divers, hovercraft and helicopters in a bid to search for the missing swimmer — but said the search was stood down a day later, when a body was found on Third Beach in Stanley Park that matched the missing swimmer's description.

CBC News has reached out to the RCMP to find out if they have definitively identified the body found at Third Beach.

The fundraiser, however, confirmed that the body found at Third Beach was that of Ranwa, who was a member of the student council at VCC and the only son of his parents.

A spokesperson for VCC declined to comment on the case.