Community Rallies as Families Search fo Missing Loved Ones in St. Mary River

ST MARY, Jamaica— The second day of searching for two individuals who were swept away in the Wag Water River in St. Mary ended without success on Friday. Families of the missing individuals, 19-year-old Chrisan Steele and 25-year-old Omar Skyers, are urgently appealing for assistance from the authorities.

The search was initially suspended on Thursday due to dangerous river conditions caused by heavy rains and flooding. Steele, from Bowens Road off Waltham Park Road, and Skyers, a technical support representative at Lasco who resided in Seaview Gardens, were part of a group visiting the river when they were swept away around 2:45 p.m. Police reports indicate that Steele was washed off a rock by fast-moving waters. Skyers jumped in to save her but was also caught in the current.

Friends and family members took to social media to express their shock and grief over the incident. Despite a renewed search effort on Friday, led primarily by the families and some community members, there were no signs of Steele or Skyers. According to Steele’s uncle, Nicholas Johnson, the search involved scouring the riverbanks, wading through bushes, and searching the riverbed. He lamented the lack of support from the police and noted that efforts to involve the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and marine police had not yet resulted in any assistance.

The community of Castleton has been deeply affected by this incident, which follows another tragedy in August when a five-year-old girl drowned in the same river. Local residents have expressed concern about the recurring tragedies in the area, particularly for visitors unfamiliar with the water’s dangers.

Political representatives, including Dr. Norman Dunn, Member of Parliament for St. Mary South East, are aware of the situation. The search for Chrisan Steele and Omar Skyers is expected to continue.