Soane 'Ata'ata (21) drowned at Laulea Beach at Fatumu, in Eastern Tongatapu on Saturday afternoon, 14 January, the first drowning recorded this year in Tonga.

Police today released the name of the deceased who was found floating in the sea after he was seen going down to the beach to have a swim.

"The cause of death was drowning," police stated today.

The victim and a friend walked to the beach. The friend is said to have stopped at a nearby cemetery while Soane continued down to the beach, and later they saw his body floating in the ocean.

Tongatapu's eastern coast is known to have strong currents, and there have been a few drowning incidents at Laulea Beach in recent years.