The communities of Corentyne in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Wismar in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) are in mourning following the tragic deaths of two teenagers who drowned in separate incidents on Sunday.
In Corentyne, 14-year-old Nathaniel Nelson of Lot 12 Grant 1806, Crabwood Creek, drowned while swimming in the Corentyne River on Sunday morning at around 07:30h.
Dead: Nathaniel Nelson. This photo was taken moments before he went into the river
Nelson, who was a student of Skeldon Line Path Secondary School, was on a weekend trip to Orealla village with three others when they reportedly went for a swim in the river after giving their cellular phones to a relative.
According to the relative, Nelson did not know how to swim, but the boys were playing a game in the water and ventured further into the river. As their game intensified, Nelson was reportedly seen struggling to stay above water and eventually submerged.
A search party was formed, and after more than two hours, the teen’s body was retrieved from the river. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Orealla Health Centre. The Police are investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, in Linden, 13-year-old Anthony Gordon, a student of Wismar Christianburg Secondary School, drowned while swimming in Bucktown Creek, Wismar.
Dead: Anthony Gordon
Reports are that the teen drowned at about 13:00h. Police in a statement on the incident said that Gordon, who resided at Lot 281 One Mile Wismar, Linden, with his mother, was in the company of two friends, aged 10 and 14, and they were all swimming together when tragedy struck.
Gordon reportedly ran into the creek and subsequently submerged underwater for some time.
Police said that his two friends noticed that he was missing and immediately raised an alarm.
Residents in the area rushed to their assistance and the teen’s body was discovered a few hours later at the bottom of the creek.
His body was later recovered and the teen was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead at 15:58h.
Police said the body was examined and no marks of violence were seen. The body was then taken to the G-Jetsco Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Commander for Regional Police Division 10, Senior Superintendent Hugh Winter; Divisional Detective, Inspector Komal Pitama; Chief Inspector Lyte and other ranks visited the scene at about 15:30h on Sunday.
