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Thorpe Marshes Reserve deaths: 'Brave' Stella Kambi saved boy a year earlier | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A teenage girl who drowned while trying to save her friend had previously rescued another boy at the same place. | |
The bodies of Bonheur Musungay, 14, and Stella Kambi, 17, were recovered from water at Thorpe Marshes nature reserve near Norwich on Wednesday evening. | The bodies of Bonheur Musungay, 14, and Stella Kambi, 17, were recovered from water at Thorpe Marshes nature reserve near Norwich on Wednesday evening. |
Post-mortem examinations have confirmed the cause of the teenagers' deaths was drowning. An inquest has been opened. | |
Stella's parents Engele and Daniel Aketo said she had rescued a boy from the same spot a year ago. | |
"We will miss her so much and hope our faith will get us through," said Mr Aketo. "But we are very proud of her." | "We will miss her so much and hope our faith will get us through," said Mr Aketo. "But we are very proud of her." |
Family friend Esperance Kuanzabi said Stella had saved her son in the previous incident. | Family friend Esperance Kuanzabi said Stella had saved her son in the previous incident. |
'Looked after everyone' | 'Looked after everyone' |
"It looks very safe there, but people underestimate the dangers," she said. "She was a very brave girl." | |
Mr and Mrs Aketo said Stella and sister Claudine, 16, were not swimming, but were sunbathing on the beach next to the broad. | |
When Bonheur got into trouble both the girls, who were strong swimmers, dived in to save him. Claudine survived but Stella was dragged under. | |
Mr Aketo said: "She was the oldest of our six children and looked after everyone - she was very caring. | |
"She was studying nursing at college and wanted to be a paediatrician. | "She was studying nursing at college and wanted to be a paediatrician. |
"She was a good Christian who had worked hard to do well at school. She was kind, funny and just made people happy." | "She was a good Christian who had worked hard to do well at school. She was kind, funny and just made people happy." |
The family arrived in the UK as refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008. | |
Miss Kambi attended City College Norwich after leaving Thorpe St Andrew High School. | |
A spokesman for Bonheur's family said: "I cannot believe he has gone. He was like a brother to me. | A spokesman for Bonheur's family said: "I cannot believe he has gone. He was like a brother to me. |
"When you were having a bad day, he would make you laugh and cheer you up. We are all very devastated." | "When you were having a bad day, he would make you laugh and cheer you up. We are all very devastated." |
Emergency services launched a major search and rescue operation to find the pair but were unable to save them. | Emergency services launched a major search and rescue operation to find the pair but were unable to save them. |
Police and firefighters are now investigating what happened. | Police and firefighters are now investigating what happened. |