Blue Creek Man Drowns While Fishing

One year ago, ten year old Jason Pau died near the river in Blue Creek, Toledo. He was part of a group touring a cave system when he disappeared. His body was never found, and it was presumed that he had drowned in the dark waters inside the cave. Tonight there is another death to report from Blue Creek. On Sunday Thomas Salam was diving with friends for fish in the river when he went under and didn’t come back up. According to Officer Commanding that jurisdiction Assistant Superintendent Clement Cacho, the body was recovered early this morning.

On the Phone: Asst. Supt. Clement Cacho, O.C., Punta Gorda Formation

“At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Monday, the twentieth June, 2016 information was received of a drowning at Blue Creek Village, Toledo district. As a result Punta Gorda Police visited the scene where upon their arrival they saw a Maya descent male person lying on the ground with what appeared to be blood coming from his nose. Initial investigation reveals that around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, the nineteenth June, 2016, the deceased who was later identified as Thomas Salam, twenty-five years, Belizean laborer of Blue Creek village went fishing with four other male persons. Apparently Mr. Salam went diving and he was caught under a dead branch, a fallen tree. He was caught in the vines whereby he drowned in the process. His body was retrieved by the Alcalde and some villagers in the village. No foul play is suspected. The body now awaits a post-mortem examination.”

Another man, sixty-six year old Eugenio Santos Senior, also drowned on Saturday near Turneffe. The Sarteneja boat captain was with his son and five other fishermen in a sailboat when he reportedly decided to try his luck fishing from a canoe. Heavy rains came down shortly after and when his son went looking for him his body was allegedly found in the water next to his canoe. The body was transported to the K.H.M.H. where it now awaits a post-mortem examination.