Aweil teen drowns trying to reach welcoming ceremony for central bank governor

AWEIL – A 17-year-old boy drowned in the Majak-Baai area of Aweil North County on Friday while attempting to cross a river to attend a rally in Aweil town welcoming the Central Bank governor, local authorities said.

Aweil North County Commissioner Kiir Chan Wol identified the victim as Diing Ngong Deng.

Wol told Sudans Post that Deng left home early Friday morning to travel to Aweil, intending to find transportation to the event.

“The incident occurred when he told his father at 6:00 AM that he is going to Aweil Town and washed his face. He put on his clothes and left,” Wol recounted. “On reaching the river, he tried to cross and in the process, he succumbed to death.”

Garang Deng, the victim’s cousin, expressed concern that the family may face financial difficulties in conducting a proper burial due to delayed salary payments for teachers, a profession shared by Deng’s father.

“The bad thing is that we are poor,” Deng said. “This boy is a primary five pupil and his father is a teacher as well. Everybody knows the conditions that teachers are going through. He may not be able to afford a proper burial. I appeal to the government to help him out as the incident is beyond anyone’s control.”

Residents reported that this is the sixth drowning incident in the area linked to rising river levels during the rainy season. Authorities are urging residents to exercise caution when traveling near flooded areas.