A 16-year-vintage boy from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, has died after going missing during Carnival celebrations. The tragedy underscores the dangers of swimming in unfamiliar waters, particularly during crowded holiday periods.
Alejandro José Colina Alfonso was found deceased on Monday, February 23, 2026, at Playa Punta Brava, located in Morrocoy National Park in Falcón state, according to reports. He had been reported missing the previous day, Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Authorities confirmed that Colina Alfonso died by drowning. He was a fifth-year student at the Instituto Diocesano Monseñor Aguedo Felipe Alvarado and resided in the El Mirador sector of Barquisimeto.
The teenager was celebrating the “octavita” of Carnival – the eighth day of festivities – when he disappeared in the sea. After several hours of searching, his body was recovered at Punta Brava.
The Delegación Municipal Tucacas of the Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas (Cicpc) intervened to conduct an initial investigation and oversee the transfer of the body to the morgue at the Hospital de Tucacas for a forensic examination.
This marks the second drowning death in Morrocoy National Park so far this year, raising concerns about water safety in the area.
