Yarra dare turns to birthday drowning tragedy

A South Korean man believed to have been studying in Melbourne was celebrating his 24th birthday when he drowned trying to swim across the Yarra River.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the man jumped from a boat moored on the Federation Square side of the river near Princes Bridge about 10pm on Saturday.

Channel Ten have reported the man, who would have turned 24 yesterday, was acting on a dare to swim to the other side.

Police say the man got into difficulty about 10 metres from the bank.

"We believe he was alcohol-affected and he's jumped in the water late at night with the expectation of swimming across,

"It's quite a long way across the Yarra. He did not make it very far."
Friends of the man jumped into the river to try and help when they realised he was struggling but he had disappeared under the water.

Police divers located the man's body at 2.16am yesterday.
In a statement released following the tragedy, police search and rescue warned people to be careful.
"It is important people remember not to swim at night, and not to consume alcohol around water and to swim within their capabilities," it said.