11 Years Old Student Drowns in Cross Rivers

A Heavy rain in Calabar has swept away an 11 years old JSS 2 Student of Government Science Secondary School, Mayne Avenue in Calabar South LGA of Cross River State.

The unfortunate occurrence happened at a flooded water channel at Mayne Avenue by Atamunu/Atakpa in Calabar swept the student on Wednesday.

According to an eyewitness, Anthony Akpan, who gave the name of the victim as Victor Charles said that the incident happened when Charles and some of his colleagues were coming back from school.

“The tragedy happened just by my place here, the water that comes from the big gutter is quite heavy and the boys were just standing by my workshop and all of a sudden the victim fell into the small gutter in front of my workshop before the water carried him into the big channel at Atakpa.

“The big channel usually overflows anytime the rain is heavy due to the amount of debris people pour into it and it was unfortunate that it happened again. This is not the first time someone is drowning in that place.

“The place needs to be worked on, the sand inside that gutter need to be evacuated, when you look at the road the water from the big channel has caused terrible erosion in that place something needs to be done now,” he said.

According to Daily Post, the teachers and students in the school lamented the death of the young Charles as they said that they still could believe that he (Charles) is dead.

The father of the victim, who will not disclose his name, revealed that the remains of the deceased is yet to be recovered.

“Me and some of my brothers have been searching the big gutter for his body since the early hours of today but we have not seen his corpse even as we speak.

“I have another search team at the evacuation point of the channel near CRUTECH and adjourning community but we have not made any success yet because the rain started again this evening.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to members of the public that anyone who finds him should please contact the school so that he can be buried properly because I cannot rest till I find my boy,” the bereaved father said.