Wellington: The body of an Indian student who died in Wellington last week after being pulled out from the sea, will be sent back to India with public donations worth N$23,000 (nearly $17,500) having been raised, the Dominion Post reported on Wednesday.

Boobesh Palani, 26, was pulled out from the waters off the suburb of Easterbourne, near the Wellington harbour when his cries were heard from about 50 metres off the coast on March 30.