Boy drowns after swimming trip with friends

 STRONG waves over the weekend swept away a Grade Eight student who went swimming with friends at Esplanade Beach, near the mv Kuanua wreckage in Lae, Morobe.

Other children who went swimming and collected sand gravel for backyards, took the responsibility to comb the beach front.

The search started from Stewart Park with parents, police, provincial disaster officials and concerned public members to Esplanade and DCA, ending at the Frabelle company wharf late Saturday evening.

The student is believed to be 12-years old and  attended St. Mary’s Primary School at Eriku, Lae.

According to two witnesses, the deceased and a friend were unfortunately swept out to open sea by currents while negotiating from the wrecked mv Kuanua. 

The friend swam ashore while an another friend swam out to rescue the deceased but failed.

The boy’s corpse was recovered around 7am yesterday and taken to the Angau Memorial Hospital morgue.