Since last night, Coast Guard officers and residents of Orange Walk have been looking for the the bodies of 2 young men who went swimming in the New River.
21 year-old Carlos Reyes, of Trial Farm, and his friend, who has not been identified, went swimming yesterday in an area believed to be the territory of a crocodile. The young men jumped in, and a third young man was with them, but he noticed the crocodile and got out. He started looking around for his friends to tell them of the danger, but they never resurfaced.
Some time this morning, after an intensive search, the authorities found Carlos Reyes' body. But after hours and hours of combing the river, they couldn't find the other young man. Our colleagues from CTV 3 News spoke with one area resident who tried to get them out of the water. Here's what she told them off camera:
Voice of: Eyewitness, tried to get the boys out of the water
"Yesterday about 5:30, prior to that the crocodile was here feeding twice and the third time I thought it was a crocodile and I yelled to my sister it's a crocodile, because I wanted to see it and I saw two boys yesterday and I told them there is crocodile there, come out. We left them. That's all I could do. Until last night I saw the police. I said I was sorry because maybe I should have called the cops. I didn't know what could have happened."
Jose Reyes, father of Carlos Albert Reyes
"In the morning I though, yes. But now, from what people are saying, it is impossible. Well from my point of view. I think it's impossible."
Petty Officer 1st Class Edwards, Coast Guard Search Team
"We are conducting search patterns, parallel search patters, depend of the area. However visibility is poor. So we have to remain close together and try comb the area as best as we can."
Reporter
"How long do you believe that the search will continue for?"
Petty Officer 1st Class Edwards, Coast Guard Search Team
"Well, that's above my call. Whenever our boss say to stop the search, well then we stop. But for this moment we will continue until we are told to stop."
Reporter
"Is it proven to be a challenge underwater?"
Petty Officer 1st Class Edwards, Coast Guard Search Team
"Well most likely yes, because it's poor visibility and a bit of sticks and broken trees and stuff - that basically it. But apart from that, you have to go real close to the bottom to be able to see."
We understand that, about an hour or so ago, Coast Guard suspended their search for the still unidentified young man, and they intend to resume tomorrow.
Email
Print