At news time, the Coast Guard was still searching the Belize Old River
in the vicinity of Bainton Bank for a missing man that’s tonight presumed
dead. That man is 48 year old Desmond Kerr who disappeared at 1:30 this afternoon.
Keith Swift has the full story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This evening two coast guard vessels – on one of them with two divers
onboard, were still carefully scouring the surface and depth of the Belize Old
River for the body of 48 year old Desmond Kerr. He disappeared this afternoon
while attempting to swim across the river.
Urbie Alamilla, Friend of Missing Man
“He took off his clothes that is right under the tree right there
and he jumped in and about halfway he seemed tired and three quarter across 
the river just as he was about to reach, he was on the surface and he went down
and didn’t come up back.”
Keith Swift,
Have you given up on finding him alive?
Urbie Alamilla,
“Well as you can see the Coast Guard went back for air so they are
searching the area and I don’t think they will try and give up.”
Keith Swift,
“But you think he is dead?
Urbie Alamilla,
“Most definitely because of the width of the river and from since
I was here he hasn’t surfaced yet so most definitely he has drowned.”
By all accounts, Desmond Kerr was under the influence of alcohol when he made
the decision to tear off his clothes and attempt to cross the river. His friends
say they urged, begged, pleaded with him not to do it but he did it anyway.”
Bobby Bainton, Witness
“We told him don’t go swimming and he decided to go swimming
anyway. He said he was going to swim across and come back. He started swimming
and he almost made it to the other side of the river but later on he got stuck,
so I told the boy to float on your back and the man tried to float on his back
but he couldn’t float. So the man looked like he made another stroke to
reach the bank but he couldn’t make that stroke. I don’t know if
it is a seizure or a cramp he got and he just gone down, disappeared right in
front of those bush right here in front our eyes, all our eyes.”
Urbie Alamilla,
“The residents in the area were telling him that you will kill yourself
and to not jump in the river because he was drinking and everyone was telling
him come back and he pursued and he went ahead and tried to swim across the
river.”
And Gilbert Williams who grew up along the banks of the river - knows why Desmond
shouldn’t have made that ill-fated swim across the tempting but treacherous
Belize Old River.
Gilbert Williams, Area Resident
“This river you have to just make sure people are around to help him.
You always jump with a life belt or something in this river. Never try to enter
in this river just freehanded because you might catch cramp. A lot of times
you have to help people because they catch cramp.”
Keith Swift,
Would you have done what Mr. Kerr did, jump into the river and try to swim across?
Gilbert Williams,
“I did that a lot of times too but now in my age, I am not on that.
Right now I am telling you that for about 15 years I haven’t swim in this
river because it is too dangerous.”
Again, when we last checked with villagers, the body had still not
been recovered. The depth of the Belize Old River is estimated to be between
30 and 60 feet. Desmond attempted to swim across a 20 foot span. He lives in
Ladyville but was in Bainton Bank visiting close friends who are preparing for
a burial this weekend. Desmond’s 49th birthday would have been Saturday.
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