Nigerian couple drowns crossing Kendall

Just when it looked like the silver lining in the flooding was that there were no casualties, Dangriga police report that two Nigerians drowned Wednesday night in the treacherous waters of the Sittee River in Southern Belize. As far as has been ascertained, the two persons hired canoe owner, thirty-seven year old Carlos Balona, to transport them to Punta Gorda. According to the report, near to the Kendall Causeway, the canoe capsized and the three occupants were thrown into the waters.

Balona, a resident of Maya Center, who swam safely to shore reported the incident to the police and has been questioned because he appeared to be intoxicated. Balona claims that the incident happened when the woman was shaking the canoe and that when her companion stood up, the canoe overturned. A search team early this morning recovered the body of one of the victims, a woman. News Five has not been able to ascertain if the body of the other person has been located. Up to news time the woman’s identity had not been confirmed but a passport that has been recovered is believed to be hers.