View of the River Nile where Juba Bridge crosses from Gumbo Sherikat to Konyokonyo. (Courtesy)

A family in Juba is appealing to residents of the Nile river banks from the capital northwards, to help them find the body of their son who drowned in the river on Monday.

The father of the deceased, Osman Yagub, said his 18-year-old son left home in Hai Nimra Talata on February 17, riding a bicycle to the river side.

Eye witnesses cited by the aggrieved father said the young man, who did not know how to swim, took off his clothes and was about to take shower in the river, when strong current carried him away.

Mr. Yagub said he was notified by forensic team of the police that his son had drowned at the direction of Hai Gabat in Juba, but the body was not found.

“I’m the father of son who got drowned in the Nile the day before yesterday. He actually left home on a bicycle to the river side in Hai Gabat,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“Wwhen he reached to river side, people there noted he was new and they asked him whether he know to swim or not. Then he got drowned in the Nile at around 3 PM.”

Mr. Yagub said they spend the whole day on Tuesday searching for the body and are still in the recovery mission without any results.

He appeals to all residents along the river and fishermen to help them in searching the body of his son for burial.

“Since yesterday, we spend all day at river side we were looking for his body. As I speak to you now, I’m at the river side, so I’m calling on anyone who will come across his body to stop and call us to collect the body for burial.”