Earlier in the news, we took you to Gales Point Manatee, where Vulcan Materials Company has its sights set on an adjacent property. And while the residents were protesting, a family was in mourning after one of their loved ones drowned in the village's lagoon.
46-year-old Benigno Betancourt, a tour guide from Ladyville, was canoeing when he jumped into the water and never resurfaced. His body was found some four hours laters by his family members. ASP Fitzroy Yearwood told us more today.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer
"On Saturday, sometime around 4:22pm, in Gales Point Manatee, the body of Benigno Betancourt was recovered from the lagoon by members of his family. Police were called out earlier sometime after 2 o'clock by the proprietor of the Manatee lodge where they reported to police that Mr Betancourt was on a family trip with 18 adults and 5 children when he took a group out on a canoe in the lagoon. The family members reported that Mr Betancourt exited the canoe to test the depth of the water and did not resurface. About a minute later, they jumped into the lagoon to try to find him but he was not found until sometime after 4. He was transported to the Southern Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead by a medical officer."
Reporter:
"At any point when he jumped in, did his family member notice him struggling to try to resurface or anything, did they say?"
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer
"Well, from what was said in the report, they said that he just went straight under and when they realized that he was down there too long, then they jumped in and tried to do a search and rescue."
