by Charles Gladden

COPPER BANK, Corozal District, Mon. Aug. 28, 2023

The body of 18-year-old Randy Omar Gorosica of Copper Bank Village, Corozal District, was found on Sunday, August 27, in the vicinity of Southern Long Caye near Dangriga Town. He had been reported missing after not returning from a fishing trip a few days prior.

According to initial reports, Gorosica departed from Copper Bank on a fishing trip with 11 companions who made the voyage on a sailboat on Friday, August 25. When out at sea, Gorosica separated from the group and ventured out in a dory; however, at the end of the day, he did not rejoin his crew, which prompted them to report him missing.

Belize Coast Guard officers were deployed in the area, and they began searching the initial area where he was last seen, but there was no sighting of him. The search continued the following day, with personnel from other organizations joining in and discovering a fin that search personnel believe Gorosica had been using.

On Sunday, subsurface searches were conducted, and the body of Gorosica was found entangled in some mangroves in the area. His body was transported to Dangriga Town by Coast Guard personnel and then handed over to the Belize Police Department so that they could investigate the cause of death.

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, exclusively told Amandala that there are two possible scenarios that might have led to Gorosica’s death. He either became entangled in the mangroves and drowned, or he was a victim of piracy, which is common in the area.

Rear Admiral Bennett noted that the deceased had two cut wounds on his leg; however, it is unclear how he received those injuries.

A post-mortem examination is yet to be conducted on Gorosica’s body to determine the cause of his death.