WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – A teenager is feared to have drowned after he met into difficulties while swimming with his friends at the Cabarita River, in Big Bridge, Westmoreland on Monday evening.

He has been identified as 18-year-old Juine ‘Junior’ McKoy, a construction worker of a Manchester address.

Police and residents of the area searched the waters on Monday following the incident, and all-day Tuesday, to no avail.

One of McKoy’s friend who had gone swimming with the now missing teen told Observer Online that he heard when McKoy called out to him for help.

“I swim off before him, and turn back at the boat and when mi a come back him chuck off and guh out, and mi see him a swim a guh out. Then him seh [dunce man] mi foot cyah touch the dirt and mi swim off back fi guh save him,” the teen, who identified himself as ‘Demarley’, said.

He noted that his attempt to save McKoy was unsuccessful.

“When mi reach out mi cyah touch him either, mi nuh deh nowhere near him because the water a push him guh dung the line and mi a sink at the same time,” he recounted.

He added that he then had to seek help for his friend.

“A mi brother that, a hope seh dem find him,” he said.

Observer Online understands that residents blocked the road on Tuesday as they believe there is more that the police can do to retrieve the teen’s body.

“The search party tried but the police said they are not equipped to dive to do any search,” McKoy’s mom, Denise Morgan, told our news team on Tuesday evening.

The distraught mother believes the worst has happened.

“All mi can do a hope dem find him body and mi can get it,” the mother said.

– Kimberley Peddie