Twenty-one-year-old drowns after kayak reportedly overturns near Runway Beach on Sunday afternoon

The Police are now probing the circumstances that led to the drowning death of 21-year-old Malcolm Alon Cornelius.

Reports say the young man was at a beach outing on Sunday afternoon, August 28, when he fell off a kayak in the vicinity of Runway Beach and went missing.

The vessel is alleged to have overturned and, reportedly, neither Cornelius nor the other kayaker was wearing a life jacket.

The other person apparently struggled to stay afloat and was assisted back to shore by other persons on the beach.

At 7:54 p.m., the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) Coast Guard reportedly received a call about the incident and immediately deployed a vessel, which departed its base at 7:55 p.m. It undertook a search of the area, assisted by a private vessel, the M/V CURSILA.

Following an extensive search, Cornelius’ body was found by the private boat at 8:58 p.m. and was recovered by the Coast Guard vessel.

The body was then taken to the Coast Guard base, at the Deep Water Harbour, and turned over to the pPolice, who confirmed his identity.

The district doctor, after checking the body, pronounced Cornelius dead at 9:53 p.m.

Grieving relatives are still trying to come to grips with their loss following the fatal incident.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard is advising all persons who operate in or near the waters to exercise extra care and caution in order to be safe at all times.