Two drown

Last Updated on Monday, 16 July 2018, 9:54 by Denis Chabrol

Two men, including an overseas-based Guyanese, died by drowning at the weekend, police said.

Dead are 46-year old Ravindra “Rick” Budhraj  of ‘ X’ 7 Alma Avenue Prashad Nagar, Greater Georgetown, and 18-year old Ronald Gomes, a labourer of 8 Norton Street Wortmanville, Georgetown.

Budhraj drowned in the Demerara River in the vicinity of Coverden, East Bank Demerara on Sunday, July 15, 2018, and Gomes died on Saturday at Splashmins, Soesdyke-linden Highway.

Police said at about 5:30 PM on Sunday,the overseas-based Budhraj   arrived in Guyana on  July 7, 2018, with his wife and daughter. After a family trip to Santa Mission, they returned to Jettoo’s Landing.

On arrival, Budhraj and a family-friend, Stephan Gadjie, of Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown, Georgetown,  boarded a jet ski.

Gadjie said the watercraft, which was being manned by Budhraj,  toppled and both of them fell into the river.

A man, who was nearby, rushed to the scene and rescued Gadjie but Budhraj was not seen.

In Saturday’s incident, Gomes reportedly left his relatives and went swimming

After he went missing, a search was conducted and his body was found with injuries to his head, face and arm.

Investigators believed that a boat propeller might have struck him.