A TEEN footballer has tragically drowned after plunging into a lake while paddleboarding with his younger brother.
Paolo Millalonco Díaz, 19, and his 11-year-old sibling were swept off their board into Lake Llanquihue in southern Chile’s Lake District, after facing rough weather conditions.
The younger brother was rescued alive but Paolo did not surface.
Rescuers found the teens body around 328ft from the shore, where the river reached a depth of about 98ft.
Neither brother was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident on Thursday, authorities said.
The search operation included units of the Chilean Navy.
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Paolo, who came from the city of Puerto Montt, played for the non-league team CD Balmaceda.
He had previously played for the academies of top flight club Huachipato FC and second division side Deportes Concepción.
A Huachipato spokesperson said: “It is with great sorrow and sadness that we announce the tragic passing of our former player, Paolo Millalonco Díaz, who suffered an accident yesterday at Lake Llanquihue.”
A spokesperson for Deportes Concepción said: “Our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
His former school also paid tribute to the teen footballer.
A spokesperson for Talcahuano Commercial High School said he was a “beloved former student of the class of 2024” and that his “memory will remain present in our hearts”.
An investigation into Paolo’s death is ongoing.
The tragedy comes after a series of incidents which have claimed the lives of young sporting hopefuls.
Indonesian gymnast, Naufal Takdir Al Bari, died aged 19 after an awful training accident in September.
Al Bari’s fatal injuries were sustained as he attempted a difficult horizontal bar routine at a national training camp in Penza, Russia.
Earlier this year a 17-year-old motorbiking sensation, Pau Alsinadied after an accident during practice at Motorland Aragon in Spain.
Bogdan Saliwon, a 16-year-old Canoeist and Olympic hopeful died after being struck by lightning on the Kamyyansk reservoir in Ukraine in 2023.