Teen drowns in Tain trench

A 15-year-old JC Chandisingh Secondary School student drowned yesterday afternoon after he went for a swim with friends in a trench located in Tain Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Dead is Ronaldo Sankar of Williamsburg Village, Corentyne.

According to reports, Sankar and five of his school friends decided to go swimming in the trench yesterday after school.

One of the friends related that it was only after swimming, when they came out of the water that they realised Sankar was not with them. He said they searched for over 30 minutes but could not find him and eventually they concluded that he might have drowned, since he had never gone swimming before.

Ronaldo Sankar
Ronaldo Sankar

The boys immediately went to Sankar’s home and informed his mother Natasha Sankar and relatives rushed to the location.

Amanda Dihal, Sankar’s rakhi sister, spoke with Stabroek News, as his mother was unable to speak. “Around 4 o’clock the friends went and tell the mother that them na find him,” she said. “He went from school with them. This is first time he swimming.”

According to information gathered, the police were also immediately summoned but were reluctant to enter the trench to look for Sankar.

However, friends and relatives who could swim plunged in. After searching for several minutes, residents of the area assisted with a fishing net. His body was subsequently found tangled between bushes in the trench.

He leaves to mourn his mother, father and brother.