One teenager drowned off Monos Island while another remains hospitalised following an incident during an outing Down the Islands on Sunday.
Evan Hannays, 17, a Fatima College student, was identified as the victim. His 15-year-old friend remains hospitalised following the incident.
Guardian Media understands that the two boys were attempting to swim from a chartered boat anchored off Monos Island to a nearby beach.
However, after he got to shore that the 15-year-old noticed that Hannays was missing and had gone underwater.
It is believed that the 15-year-old went back into the water and attempted to look for his friend but he too got into difficulties.
Persons on nearby vessels who were alerted to the mishap went to the assistance of the two teens but although they both were eventually found, Hannays could not be resuscitated.
According to an eyewitness account that was shared in a social media chat, the two were swimming from a charter boat in Turtle Bay to the beach.
“When the friend got to the beach he turned around looking for his friend. I was not aware all this was going on until minutes before they found him underwater and pulled him into a dingy. From my view... a Spanish boy was pumping his chest … for quite some time, then boat drifted toward...and they put him in the back of ... boat. Many people were pumping his chest and blowing into his mouth. I was above looking on. Even...took over till the Coast Guard took him... heard about 20 minutes after that he was in fact dead. So sad. It was so tragic. Can’t believe that happens. Never witnessed anything like that. Sigh.”
This story will be updated as more information comes to hand.
