Powers wanted to close dangerous SA beach

There are calls to give lifesavers more power to close Adelaide beaches during dangerous conditions, following the drowning of an Indian girl at Glenelg.

Surf lifesavers rowing a boat in rough water

Surf lifesavers say they would welcome having the power to close dangerous SA beaches. (AAP)

Surf lifesavers in South Australia want greater powers to close dangerous beaches, after the third death in less than two years at a breakwater off Adelaide.

A 15-year-old Indian girl went missing off Glenelg on Sunday night and rescuers found her body on Monday morning.

It comes after two boys drowned at the same spot on New Year's Day last year.

The breakwater creates an "unnatural" movement in the water, swirling and causing currents, Surf Life Saving acting emergency operations manager Ben Laurenson said.

"In South Australia, the surf lifesavers don't have the authority to close the beach but if that's something that the state government would be looking at, we will certainly welcome it," he said.

But he'd prefer swimmers avoided the northern end of the popular city beach altogether.

"History's shown that it is a dangerous area of the beach," Mr Laurenson said.

The Indian girl, in Adelaide to play football at the Pacific School Games, was with four other girls at Holdfast Marina at Glenelg on Sunday evening when they all got into trouble.

The other girls were rescued quickly with two 17-year-olds taken to the Flinders Medical Centre, one in a critical condition and the other stable.

Another 17-year-old was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious but stable condition and a 12-year-old was admitted to the Women's and Children's Hospital in a stable condition.

All the girls were in Adelaide for the week-long games which involved about 4000 school children from 15 countries competing in 11 sports.

Indian consular officials have travelled from Sydney to Adelaide to provide support for the group.


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Source: AAP



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