PORTLAND, Jamaica — The 15-year-old student who drowned in the Swift River in Portland on Sunday had jumped in to save a girl who was struggling against a strong current, further reports have indicated.

Zedain Wilson, a student of Spanish Town Comprehensive High School in St Catherine, was reportedly on a trip when he drowned near a quarry at Caenwood, Hope Bay in the parish about 1:00 pm Sunday afternoon.

“Wilson was at the river at a family function when a girl got into difficulties by the strong current in the river and he [Wilson] jumped into the river and was pushing the girl to safety when he was taken away by the strong current,” the police said.

He was later assisted from the water but was unresponsive.

The Hope Bay Police Station was contacted and on arrival, the police saw men in the water searching for the body which was later retrieved.

The deceased was wearing blue cut-off jeans, a black watch on his left wrist and a ring on one of his right fingers.

Relatives transported the body to the Port Antonio Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

— Everard Owen