A teenager is feared dead after he reportedly disappeared into the murky water of the Corentyne River during an outing with friends on Monday at the No 60 Foreshore, Berbice. The missing teen has been identified as Ritesh Balram, also known as “White Bai”, a former student of Tagore Memorial High School. Based on reports received, the teen, who could not swim, allegedly went to the No 60 Foreshore with three friends. However, while there, he reportedly went into the water, but due to the current, he was pulled further into the river. He reportedly shouted for assistance while holding onto a piece of lumber.

As his friends went for assistance, the youth disappeared and has yet to be found. The teen lived with his father after his parents separated. His mother, Gayatree Rambhajan, said she was at work when she received the devastating news:

“Yesterday afternoon around like two o’clock I got a phone call saying my son drowned… I asked if they were sure… Then his father called me… Family started calling me… They told me he was holding on to some wood. One of the boys went to get a boatman to pick him up, but by the time they came back, the water had washed him away.”