Two perish in separate Cape Region drownings

The perils of swimming in local waterways hit hard this past week in separate drownings, which kept emergency responders busy searching for the missing.

The first search began July 12 after Gregory Karitu, 27, of Kenya went swimming about 7:30 p.m. in the water off Olive Avenue and disappeared in the ocean surf. The Rehoboth Beach Police Department, in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company and Delaware State Police Aviation searched for Karitu, but suspended the search July 13.

Karitu’s body was later found about 1:30 p.m., July 16, in the water off Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes by a kayaker who alerted officials, said Robert Stephens, spokesman for the Lewes Fire Department.

Lt. Mark Sweet of the Rehoboth Beach Police Department confirmed the body found was Karitu’s. No foul play is suspected in his death, Sweet said.

The same day, another search team found the body of a teen who went missing after falling into the Broadkill River near Milton July 15.

Yorch Niz-Chilel, 18, of Harrington and originally Guatemala, was crabbing with family near the boat launch at the end of Oyster Rocks Road when, police said, he entered the water about 3:45 p.m. as his group was getting ready to leave the area. Delaware State Police spokeswoman Lt. India Sturgis said Niz-Chilel began yelling for help after walking into neck-high water. Family members tried to rescue him but were unable to reach him before he went under, she said.

As a family member called 911, Sturgis said, the family lost sight of Niz-Chilel and he drifted away. 

DNREC, Delaware State Police Aviation, the DSP Maritime Unit and other underwater units searched for the teen, but efforts were suspended when safety conditions deteriorated, Sturgis said.

The search resumed July 16 and continued throughout the day. By evening, Sturgis said, a fisherman called 911 after spotting a body near the outer wall, close to the Harbor of Refuge Light in Delaware Bay. The body was recovered and positively identified as Yorch Niz-Chilel. His family has been notified, and his body was turned over to the Division of Forensic Science for further examination.