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Coast Guard Still Looking For The Other Drowning Victim
posted (February 24, 2016)

And keeping it in the Orange Walk District, today, the Coast Guard resumed the search for the still unidentified youth who went swimming in the New River with his friend, 21 year-old Carlos Reyes, but never resurfaced.

As we told you, there was a third young man who was with them, and he jumped in as well, but he noticed a crocodile lurking in the waters. He got out and tried to warn his other 2 companions, but he couldn’t find them. After hours of search yesterday,  the Coast Guard found the body of 21 year-old Carlos Reyes, but they had to suspend their efforts because it was getting too dark.

Coast Guard divers searched for much of today as well, and they still couldn’t find the body of the other unidentified young man. One of the divers discussed the difficulties they were facing:

Coast Guard

"We resumed search about 8:30 this morning and we did both sides, we did surface searches in the canoe about 300 yards going down stream. We did both sides and come down the middle and then we did dives similar to how we did the surface search along both ends but so we didn't come up with anything. We break off for lunch after which we did another surface search a while ago."

Reporter

"After so many hours, what are the probabilities of you guys finding the body?"

Coast Guard

"Well right about now we just basing off what the locals are saying; but the way I see it I don't know if the body is there or not but hopefully it surfaces before the end of the day." 

Reporter

"Also many residences are asking if there is a second body. Do you guys believe that there in a second body in the water?"

Coast Guard

"Well if there is a second body, I don't think it’s around this area at this time because we dived basically all the areas so we are going to do one more dive in the middle of the river and if not then we will call it a day."

Reporter

"After you guys search the middle of the river will you be expanding further down in the river?"

Coast Guard

"Well probably tomorrow based on other information."

We understand that Coast Guard has suspended the search for the day once again. They intend to comb the banks tomorrow while the diving resumes because it is expected that by now, the body will rise to the surface. The Coast Guard wants to discover this other body before it starts giving off odors which will attract wild animals, such as crocodiles - which, as we told you - was spotted the day they went missing.

 

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