Latest update June 3rd, 2026 12:40 AM
Bodies of pregnant woman, fiancé swept away by waves at Unity Beach recovered
(Kaieteur News) – The bodies of 20-year-old Lyodisa Waldron, also known as ‘Loyda’, and her 31-year-old fiancé Special Constable Andri Francis, called ‘Bobby’ was recovered on Tuesday. The couple was on a family outing at Unity Beach, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Sunday when they were reportedly swept under by strong currents.
A search party, including the police and the Coast Guard, was sent out over the weekend to look for the missing couple. However, the bodies only surfaced on Tuesday when two private boats supplied by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed searched the area. The bodies of the deceased, who were residents of Victoria Village, (ECD) were found discovered some distance away from the beach.
Lyodisa Waldron and her fiancé, Andri Francis.
According to a statement issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) the incident occurred at about 2:00 p.m. on Sunday at Unity Beach. Preliminary investigations revealed that Waldron and Francis were swimming together when Waldron reportedly began drifting further out to sea and encountered difficulties in the water.
Police said the young woman raised an alarm and called for assistance as she was being carried away from shore. Francis reportedly entered deeper waters in an attempt to rescue her. However, both individuals were overtaken by the current and disappeared beneath the water.
Persons at the beach immediately raised an alarm, prompting a search of the surrounding area. Police ranks and residents conducted checks along the shoreline and nearby sections of the beach in an effort to locate the missing pair.
Authorities have not disclosed how far offshore the pair was when the incident occurred, but investigators believe strong currents may have played a role in the tragedy.
he bodies of deceased were brought to shore on Tuesday.
Unity Beach has long been a popular recreational area for residents of the East Coast Demerara, particularly on weekends and public holidays. However, concerns have periodically been raised about dangerous sea conditions and strong currents in sections of the Atlantic coastline.
Eyewitness Dr. Asquith Rose told Kaieteur News that the water was rough and there were warning signs about the currents, but the young woman ventured out to swim. He explained that Waldron appeared to encounter difficulties while in the water, prompting Francis to go in after her.
“When she got into trouble, he went to try and save her, but he too was swept away by the current,” Rose recalled. Rose said the incident unfolded in full view of beachgoers and left many persons distressed. He noted that a lifeguard station was located at the beach but claimed that no lifeguard was present at the time of the incident.
According to Rose, a friend who was with him witnessed Francis struggling in the water and became frustrated by the apparent lack of rescue equipment. “He felt helpless because there was nothing available to assist. He said that if there had been a surfboard or some type of rescue equipment, he might have been able to attempt a rescue,” Rose said.
He expressed concern about the absence of lifeguards, particularly on weekends when the beach attracts large crowds. “A lifeguard could not only attempt a rescue but also warn swimmers about dangerous conditions and intervene when people venture into unsafe areas,” he stated.
Rose further noted that several onlookers told him there had been previous drowning incidents in the same section of the beach.
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