U.S. College Student Found Dead in Israel After Late Night Swim

The body of a University of Kentucky sophomore was found on the morning of July 30 washed up on the Israeli shore of the Mediterranean Sea after she went missing in a late-night swim on Saturday.

TeNiya Jones, 19, a biology major with a minor in Islamic studies, was on a weekend visit to Israel from Jordan, where she was enrolled in a seven-week exchange program. She was due to return home to Fort Myers, Fla., in a week.

Jones’ mother, Tosha Thomas-Mora, was scheduled to travel to Israel on Monday.

Thomas-Mora told the Fort Myers News-Press she received a call about her daughter’s disappearance less than eight hours after texting her. She said Jones told her she was “in for the night.”

“She’s a decent swimmer,” Thomas-Mora said, but added that Jones usually liked walking along the shore. “The furthest I’ve known her to go is to stand and wade at the shore of the water and take pictures.”

Jones went out for a swim with two other exchange students. She disappeared off of a beach near Bat Yam, a suburb of Tel Aviv, The Times of Israel reported.

According to one of the students, a strong current pulled the three of them out deeper to sea while they were swimming.

Two of the students were able to swim back to shore, but Jones did not make it back, according to a statement issued by the University of Kentucky.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with TeNiya, her family and the students and others impacted,” the statement issued Sunday morning said. “We are in continual contact with TeNiya’s family, officials in Israel, officials from the State Department and our Congressional delegation to provide all the support we can for the family, students and others involved. We will do everything possible to provide whatever support is needed.”

Thomas-Mora said she received a call from Bill Bull, vice president of the university’s health and safety security, about 2 1/2 hours after her daughter went missing on Saturday night informing her of the incident.

Israel launched a search and rescue operation to find Jones, and officials from the U.S. Embassy were involved in the process, according to the university.

Family members told Fox News it was out of character for Jones to go for a midnight swim. “That’s not like her,” said Jean Davis, Jones’ cousin. “She wouldn’t take a risk like that.”