Teen who went out in Atlantic Ocean in old freezer drowns

A 14-year-old boy drowned on Wednesday afternoon after he and three others went out into the Atlantic Ocean in a freezer and it capsized.

He has been identified as Emmanuel Downer, a student of Lancaster Secondary School at Mahaica. Downer is from Haslington Village, East Coast Demerara.

Police Headquarters reported that the incident occurred at approximately 16:00 hrs at Unity Beach, Mahaica.
Police said the students left school and went swimming in the ocean.

“One of the students told investigators that they all entered an old freezer and while sailing out in the water, the freezer capsized after which Downer suddenly disappeared,” the police said.

One of the students contacted Downer’s mother, Elisha Dailey, and informed her of the incident. As a result, a report was made to the Cove and John Police Station, leading to the formation of a search party.

Downer’s body was discovered approximately 500 meters away from shore on a sandbank in the Atlantic, entangled in a fishing seine.

Police said no visible marks of violence were observed.

His body was taken to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.