…And Josue Rivas drowns in New River

While in Orange Walk reporting on the deaths of the two infants, the News Five crew found themselves at the scene of another drowning incident. News Five’s Jose Sanchez reports.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting
At twelve-thirty this afternoon, twenty-seven year old Josue Rivas disappeared in the dark waters of the New River. A crowd gathered at the river bank while divers combed the bottom for his body. Freddy Martinez, a friend of Rivas’, was with him at the time of his death.

Freddy Martinez, Friend of Victim
“When we mi come to the riverside we mi di smoke wah lee cigarette. Di man mi drop inna di water den ih start to swim and I noh know if ih get tired or what. Me and my bally hail ah mek come dah side and ih mi done reach pan di side den I think ih slip and ih gone in and he can’t come out again.”

At one thirty his sister waited with the crowd for the recovery.

Mirtala Rivas, Sister of Drowning Victim
“He was drinking here at the river with some friends and he got cut then the one at the skiff told him to go to the hospital because he got a big cut on his foot but he didn’t listen. He wanted to go in the skiff and they told him not to go; they weren’t going to take him. But then the other one say that he fall in the water but they tried to get him he couldn’t get them.”

At two p.m. Rivas’ body was recovered from the body, Freddy Martinez helped to find his friend.

Jose Sanchez
“Were all of you drinking or only him?”

Freddy Martinez, Friend of Victim
“Only he mi di drink. We reach like wah fifteen minutes before ih happen and when ih happen we si di man and when we si ih no come out again we jump inna di wata fi si if we find ah.”

Jose Sanchez
“I saw you were swimming, how long were you looking for him in the water?”

Freddy Martinez
“Like wah hour nearly; twenty minutes we mi deh inna di wata. Thanks God we could find ah out.”

Mirtala Rivas
“Everyday he was drunk; everyday.”

Jose Sanchez
“So that might have played a role.”

Mirtala Rivas
“Yes, everyday he was drunk.”

Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.