Two families were plunged into a state of mourning yesterday after the bodies of two cousins, who went missing during a swimming adventure at Unity Beach, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara were discovered.
The bodies of 20-year-old Navin Seenauth and 17-year-old Daniel Boodram both of Unity Village, were found yesterday afternoon. They went missing at the beach on Sunday afternoon.
Residents of Unity Village had launched several search parties to locate the two missing young men. Additionally, relatives had searched several villages located in the vicinity of Unity and Hope A search was also extended to Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara yesterday morning.
The Guyana Defence Force’s Coast guards were also dispatched to the area yesterday morning and were accompanied by residents as the search continued.
Yesterday afternoon the search party discovered the bodies close to each other in the very area where they went missing.
Earlier in the day, Phulmatie Seenauth, the mother of Navin, told Stabroek News that at about 3 pm on Sunday her son received a call from his cousins since they would usually visit the Unity Beach every weekend. The mother recounted that Navin told his cousins that he would join them shortly.
Joshua Deonarine, who also accompanied them, told relatives that he left the water because he was no longer feeling the ground and the water level had reached his chest. Deonarine recounted that as he exited the water, his cousins disappeared.
“The cousin said that he went swimming with, he say he come out after didn’t feeling the ground no more and when he turn around he did not see them no more. He go home and tell he parents and then they call me after 4,” Phulmatie explained.
The extensive search began at about 4 pm on Sunday. Upon arrival at the beach, Navin’s bicycle was found with his clothing stuck in the frame.
According to another relative, who was also a member of the search party, “We search and search till quarter past two this morning we come off the beach this morning. Early this morning I walk from Unity Beach till to Hope, right through on the beach I walk and nothing.”
Phulmatie, who has been a single mother for years, explained that she felt heartbroken after the incident. The mother explained that Navin was the third among three other boys, whom she struggled with her for many years. Navin, who was a construction worker, was described as one of the bread winners of the home.
Marcel Samaroo, the mother of Daniel Boodram, told this newspaper that her last conversation with her son was about his girlfriend before he left for the beach. Thirty minutes later, she received a call stating that Boodram could not be found. Samaroo said that the search began at about 4 pm.
Boodram’s mother at that time was hopeful that he was alive since his father was involved in a similar incident and he survived. According to Samaroo, Daniel was more like her best friend because they shared a transparent relationship. The teen started a new job last week and was described as kind and loving.
“I had faith there and even now I believe that my child will come back alive and well. I just hope that somebody will find them somewhere that is my only hope,” the woman had said before the bodies were discovered.
Residents had explained that the water was raging their upon arrival at the beach on Sunday afternoon. Further, as a result of the high tide on Sunday afternoon, several boats drifted ashore along with debris. They also mentioned that the Unity Beach is known for incidents of this nature, and bodies could end up as far as Buxton and sometimes Georgetown.
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, had visited the Unity Beach, Mahaica, during the extensive search operation on Sunday evening.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Deonarine told investigators that the water was inshore with heavy waves upon their arrival. Despite the conditions, the youths proceeded to swim. Deonarine, who cannot swim, exited the water after approximately half an hour since the water was about chest height. After getting dressed, he noticed his friends were no longer visible in the water. He searched for them but to no avail and subsequently returned to the village to raise an alarm.
