AUKI police recovered the body of a five-year-old student who went missing last Saturday when he was out with his colleagues on a school picnic trip in the Langalanga Lagoon.
The body was retrieved the next day after a frantic and extensive search.
Malaita provincial police commander Alfred Uiga said the boy was a student of Daolusu Primary School.
The school was located at the border of west Kwara’ae and Langalanga Lagoon.
“The boy and his mother were part of the class that went for the picnic on Ba’ali island in the Langalanga lagoon, a few kilometres away from the mainland,” Mr Uiga said.
He said police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the boy’s disappearance.
But he had ruled out foul play.
Mr Uiga said the boy went missing while they were on the island so police were engaged in the search the whole of Saturday afternoon.
The body was found the next day on Sunday and it was believed the boy died of drowning.
Relatives buried the child on Monday.
The tragedy prompted Mr Uiga to urge the public to be cautious, especially with children, when they are out on picnic trips during the festive season.
He said while Christmas is a time to celebrate with families, parents must ensure they keep an eye on their children while they are out in the waters.
By WILLIAM EKOTANI
Auki
