THE village of Waramadong, Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) was saddened on Friday afternoon after a man drowned in the Kamarang River while trying to save his two children.

Dead is Latchman Benjie, said to be in his early 40s. The man’s two daughters, ages two and three, managed to pull themselves to the bank of the river after their small “wood -skin” canoe capsized midway across the river.

Reports from the village are that the man and two of his five children were returning from the family’s farm on Friday afternoon around 16:30hrs when the incident occurred.
Residents of the village noted that “Mr Latchman” as he was fondly called, moved to Waramadong several years ago from another village, Jawalla, so that his older children can attend school there.

The man’s body was retrieved from the river on Saturday morning and the family was preparing to bury his remains later that same day.