St Lucian drowns at Mahdia

A 45-year-old Mahdia resident is suspected to have drowned after he fell into the Potaro River on Tuesday night while dipping water. Up to late yesterday afternoon, relatives and friends were still scouring the river for his body.

Matthew Thomas, a St Lucian who migrated to Guyana, worked with his father as a sailor, his stepmother Ruth Bacchus told Stabroek News yesterday.

According to Bacchus, the reports are that around 9 pm he fell overboard and was discovered missing about an hour later. She said that hooks and nets were used to help find the body but they have so far been unsuccessful.

The woman said they believed that Thomas, who could not swim, had drowned.

Meanwhile, the body of a woman was taken to the mortuary at Mahdia on Friday and the circumstances of her death are unclear.

This newspaper was informed that the woman, whose name could not be ascertained, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. There are suspicions that she was a victim of drowning.

She had been brought from a mining area at Mowasi, which is close to Mahdia.

Police are making arrangements to have her remains transferred to the city for a post-mortem examination.