Guyana: Search Efforts Underway for Missing Couple at Unity Beach

A joint maritime emergency response operation involving the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard has been initiated along the Atlantic coastline following a double drowning incident on Sunday afternoon. The couple, identified as 20-year-old Lyodisa “Loyda” Waldron, who was pregnant, and her fiancé, 31-year-old Special Constable Andri “Bobby” Francis, have been reported missing at sea.

The incident occurred around 2:00 PM on Sunday when Waldron was wading near a deep shelf at Unity Beach. Witnesses reported that a sudden shift in the tidal cycle created a severe undertow, pulling her rapidly toward open waters. Waldron raised an alarm, calling for her fiancé’s help. Francis entered the water to assist her, but both individuals were overpowered by the rough sea conditions and strong rip currents.

Initial rescue efforts by nearby residents and local fishermen were unsuccessful, prompting emergency responders to expand the search area along the shoreline. Eyewitness Dr. Asquith Rose noted the presence of warning signs about dangerous rip currents but criticized the lack of public safety enforcement and emergency equipment at the beach.

Families of the missing individuals expressed their grief, recounting the events leading up to the incident. Waldron’s mother described the moment her daughter raised the alarm and Francis’s attempt to rescue her. The couple had changed their plans to visit Linden due to flooding on the highway and were expecting their first child in August.

As the search continues, naval commanders have transitioned the operation from a rescue mission to a recovery effort, utilizing deepwater patrol boats and sonar tracking to search the surrounding areas.

Source: hgptv.com