A FUNDRAISING campaign has been launched to help the family of a 21-year-old student who drowned in the sea near Clacton Pier.

Sujal Sahu was among a group of six friends who got into difficulty in the water on July 19 - the hottest day ever recorded in the UK.

It is understood the friends - students at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge - were swept out to sea by a strong tide.

Five of the group were brought to safety and a major search operation was launched in a bid to find Sujal.

Essex Coroner’s Court heard his body was found near Jaywick’s Martello Tower four days later.

A post-mortem examination at Colchester Hospital concluded Sujal had drowned.

Sujal, who is from Ajmer in Rajasthan, India, had been living in Cambridge for two years and was studying computer science.

Family friend Manjeet Pancholi, who described Sujal as a “lively and confident person with lots of energy” said his father Bhagwan and mother Usha have been left heartbroken.

“Anglia Ruskin has helped to arrange everything, but the family is in need of financial help,” he said.

“The family had remortgaged their home, hoping once Sujal completed his study, he would get a good job and repay the mortgage, as well as helping to pay for his sister’s wedding and look after his parents.

“Now that Sujal has departed, his family are in grief and deep sorrow and are also worried about how they will manage without financial support.”

It is understood that Anglia Ruskin University paid for flights and accommodation for the family and also met their costs and expenses while in the UK, including funeral arrangements.

A fundraising campaign has now been launched by the Indian National Students Association UK to help the family.

Speaking to the Times of India, the association’s president Amit Tiwari said: “INSA UK would like to pay tribute to Sujal. Indian students are a close-knit community and his loss hurts us.”

A funeral service took place at Cambridge Crematorium on August 8.

Anyone who would like to donate can do so at https://gofund.me/68274f31.

Anyone who would like to donate can do so at https://gofund.me/68274f31.