A 15-year-old girl drowned after being pulled under strong currents while swimming with her friends.

Pawityada Thermwai was enjoying an afternoon swim with two classmates at the waterway when they were swept into a deeper part of the waterway in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeast Thailand.

Two of the girls managed to paddle to safety, but Pawityada was dragged away downstream on October 6. They rushed back home to call for help.

Villagers initially tried to scour the channel but had to call rescuers as the currents were too strong.

A rescue crew received rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency. Footage shows how them plunging underwater, armed with scuba masks and oxygen tasks as they searched for the missing girl.

After 20 minutes, divers discovered her body around 20 metres (66 feet) from where she had disappeared, lying face down some five metres (16 feet) underwater.

They brought her body to shore as her devastated mother and grandmother broke down in tears.

The shocked classmates told authorities they had been playing in the water during their school break when the current suddenly grew stronger. They added that despite their desperate attempts to save their friend, they were forced to swim to safety before calling for help.

Officials warned locals against swimming in canals and weirs during the rainy season.