A thirteen-year old boy from Ebo Town, Mama Besidi, last Wednesday, drowned while swimming in Bakau.  The tragic incident was said to have happened during the late hours of the day, around 17:00 hours.

Confirming the tragic incident to the Daily Observer, on Thursday, Alh Duha Abraham, assistant chief fire officer at the Fire Service Unit, who spoke on behalf of the PRO, said that the incident had happened along the Bakau fish landing site. He revealed that the deceased, Mama Besidi, had been swimming with his colleagues, around 17:00 hours. He said personnel of the fire and sea rescue operation, who are always on the alert along the sea shore in Bakau, were notified about the incident. He added that they rushed to the rescue of the poor boy but their efforts proved futile.

The body was retrieved three minutes after the drowning and rushed to the Bakau Health Centre, where the boy was pronounced dead.

Mr Abraham noted further that the body was later handed over to the Bakau Police Station before it was subsequently transported to the RVTH, where a post-mortem was carried on it.  Abraham further said that the incident was not the first of its kind, explaining that a similar incident had happened around the same time last year, involving a school boy.

He indicated that efforts are however in place to prevent such occurrences. He said they have trained a number of fishermen on lifesaving operations. He stressed that they hold 'beach patrols' every year in the summer, in collaboration with the GTA to help prevent such ugly occurrences.