Heartbroken friends' touching gesture to a boy, 14, as he's farewelled in an emotional send off after drowning at popular swimming spot

A teenager who drowned at a popular swimming spot has been remembered as a 'good kid' during an emotional send off. 

Family and friends have paid tribute to Kanady Moo, 14, who died after jumping into the Werribee River in Melbourne's southwest on Tuesday. 

Mourners returned to the scene of his drowning on Wednesday to honour the boy's memory.

Flowers were taped to the tree overhanging the river where he jumped in, while one mourner jumped into the water to say farewell. 

While total strangers threw flower petals in the water to mark the tragic loss of life.  

Scroll down for video 

Family and friends have paid tribute to Kanady Moo, 14, who died after jumping into the Werribee River in Melbourne's southwest on Tuesday

His cousin Law Soe was tearful as she remembered the 'quiet' boy. 

'He was a good kid, he didn't get into trouble. He was quiet,' she told Nine News.  

'It was very hot yesterday and he wanted to enjoy time with his friends before going to school tomorrow.' 

She said he 'just wanted to enjoy his life here with his family'.

Tributes online also reflected the community's sadness over child's death.

'It's too early to say goodbye my little monkey, but you are in better place now. One day when time come we'll see each other again. RIP little bro!' wrote Poe Kwa Si on Facebook.  

Mourners returned to the scene of his drowning on Wednesday to honour the boy's memory 

'I can't believe it. See you again in a better place,' another mourner wrote. 

Local woman Ivanka Mladichek also visited the river on Wednesday to farewell the young boy. 

Her and her son said a prayer for the teen and threw flower petals into the water.

'It's a very tragic and sad event,' she told the Herald Sun.

She said the popular swimming spot can be 'dangerous' and wanted to see signage installed to warn others about the hazards.   

The teenager was swimming in the Werribee Rive next to River Park Court at 7pm on Tuesday before his friends reported him missing.

The teenager was believed to be a weak swimmer who had moved to Australia from Thailand two years ago. 

Specialist emergency units searched the area and found the boy's body at 11:30pm.

Four friends, who spoke limited English, were swimming with the boy when they realised he was drowning. 

The section of river they were swimming in was so deep that one can jump from a tall tree on the bank and not reach the bottom, according to a neighbour.

One of the friends, a young woman, rushed to a neighbour's house and asked for her help, saying the boy could not swim very well.

The neighbour ran to the river and swam out in a desperate attempt to save the boy.

She swam to a spot where she could see faint bubbles on the surface of the water but found no trace of the boy, which she said was 'heartbreaking'.

'It's dreadful, absolutely dreadful. I just feel horrible for the poor family,' she told the Herald Sun.

After she got out of the water, other neighbours had begun to gather and one of the boy's friends was still trying to contact police.

Mourners were emotional as they said goodbye to the 14-year-old boy

'One of the friends was on the phone to the police when I got out of the water and was trying to convey that there'd been an emergency. His English wasn't good. So he passed the phone over. By the time emergency services arrived it was all over,' the neighbour said.

It was a busy day at the swimming spot due to hot weather, according to the woman.

Police divers then searched the river while some 20 friends and relatives comforted each other at the scene late into Tuesday night.

By 11:30pm on Tuesday Victoria Police confirmed the boy had died.

Police will prepare a report for the Coroner.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.