He was to find out that his son was in a sailing club only when the Singapore Management University (SMU) student went missing off Raffles Marina.

The young sailor disappeared into the choppy waters off Tuas last Thursday afternoon after falling off a keel boat carrying four other sailors. The skipper of the boat, Mr Renfred Tan, dived in after him, but lost sight of the panicked Levin in the water.

His body was found early on Saturday about 300m off the marina.

His father, a 56-year-old based in Brunei with his wife, said at the wake yesterday: 'I have no idea why my son took up watersports when he could not swim...In my mind, Levin could not swim.'

Even Levin's sister Hannah, 20, who joined her brother here in 2005, knew about his new hobby only from the changes he made to his wardrobe. His trading his usual jeans and sneakers for shorts and boating shoes surprised her and their aunt, with whom the siblings lived. Neither had taken him for a swimmer.

At a briefing for reporters on Saturday, Hannah, who spoke on the family's behalf, called her brother's death 'truly unnecessary'.

The family raised several issues, including the way the rescue effort was run and the use of life jackets in the sport.

The family said that while surface searches commenced almost immediately, the Singapore naval divers arrived only after dark.

The family added that Levin had disappeared near Malaysian waters and that this could have prevented the Singapore divers from entering the area without clearance.

The family had to personally obtain a verbal permit from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

On life jackets, the family asked why wearing one was not mandatory for a sailor in training like Levin, who had been required to wear one to obtain his Class 1 licence, the basic sailing qualification.

To get the licence, Levin had to show he could sail solo and swim 50m in open water while wearing a life jacket.

Saying that the dragon boat accident in Cambodia was 'fair warning to all water sportsmen, federations and associations', she said: 'We feel more effort could have been taken in reinforcing safety measures and regulations.'

Family and friends were at the wake at St Joseph's Church in Victoria Street yesterday, a stone's throw from SMU, where the young man was soon to start his second year in the School of Information Systems.

His former girlfriend, who did not wish to be named, said he did not strike her as someone with a passion for watersports; he did not say anything about having taken up sailing when they spoke last week. She said they met through the Internet but split up before he began university.

Mr Angsana, referring to his conversation with Mr Tan about Levin's last moments, said the tiring sailor's last words, as he was struggling in the water, were 'I can't swim'.

carolynq@sph.com.sg