An African refugee drowned in the Grand Canal in Venice as tourists looked on.

Pateh Sabally, 22, a Gambian, drowned in the city’s canal as people looked on and filmed with their phones. It was alleged that the onlookers also filmed Sabally drowning and made racist comments.

On some Italian websites, a video of a man screaming “Go on, go back home” and another person saying “Africa” was posted.

In the video onlookers can be heard laughing with one man saying “Let him die at this point.” A current finally caught Sabally before police divers could come to the scene.

Meanwhile the Italian government is looking into the matter.