A George Washington University student from Redding, Connecticut who is missing in South Africa, is presumed to have drowned, a rescue group says.
Nicholas Upton, a college junior who graduated from Joel Barlow, has not been seen since swimming in the East Cape Province on Sunday at about 10:30 p.m. local time (or around 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time), according to a statement from the university.
Upton, 19, has been studying at the University of Cape Town. He was in a group of 11 people who went swimming Sunday evening. He disappeared after appearing to get into trouble in the surf line, according to a release from South Africa's National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
Upton is presumed to have drowned, the NSRI said.
Cape Town authorities are searching for Upton and are coordinating with study abroad program representatives, Upton's family and the U.S. Embassy, GW officials said in a statement.
Upton is a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity and the GW men's rowing team, according to Kappa Alpha's Facebook page, the GW Hatchet reported.
