Two children die after trying to retrieve pen from river

Jan 16, 2017 Bright Malenga Top News 22

Two children have died after they were washed away by a flooded river while trying to retrieve a pen in Dowa district.

Dowa Police Spokesperson Richard Kaponda said the incident happened on Wednesday at Windu River near Mkathama village.

The two have been identified as Emily Seleman, 10, and Sekelani Chikwaya, 8.

According to Kaponda, the children were coming from school and while attempting to cross the river, one of the children’s pen fell.

The two tried to recover the pen but they both ended up getting washed away by the river which was then flooded due to heavy rains.

“A 14 year-old boy was in their company but failed to rescue them. The waters also carried him but he survived by holding a nearby tree,” said Kaponda.

Meanwhile, police and villagers from Mkathama village Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa on Sunday recovered the bodies of the two children.

The police and the villagers managed to succeed after mounting a search in all suspected areas.

The girl was found in Lingazi River at Chiphanga village and the boy was found in the waters of Lake Malawi at Katsache village Traditional Authority Khombeza in Salima.

The bodies have since been buried in the places in which they were found because they were in a decomposed state.

The two were hailed from Mkathama village Traditional Autholity Chiwere in Dowa District.