Leighton Levy, STAR Writer

A 16-year-old Jamaican girl drowned in St Maarten on Sunday after she and a friend went jet-skiing with a Guyanese/American who had only arrived on the island the day before.

The body of Felicia Williams was found and removed from the sea on Great Bay beach in St Maarten about 11 p.m. Sunday. Meanwhile, a case of negligence against the Guyanese/American, 36-year-old Aubrey Tom, is said to be under way. Interim police spokesman Geronimo Juliet confirmed that Tom - who was taken into custody - was assisting police with the investigation up to late Sunday evening.

Police reports said three persons - a male and two females - were riding a 'Wave runner' Jet Ski just off the shoreline in the vicinity of the Sea Palace Hotel, when during a manoeuvre two of the riders fell from the Jet Ski. One of the riders who fell was recovered from the water but the other was not. A search was immediately launched to recover the victim at approximately 5:30 p.m.

arrested

Tom, police said, was arrested on Sunday night. He was wearing a life vest at the time of the incident while the two female riders were not. The police say they are viewing the incident as a case of recklessness on the part of Tom who rented the Jet Ski. He had arrived in St Maarten on Saturday from Guyana where he was on vacation. He was in St Maarten visiting his mother.

Unconfirmed reports say Williams' mother was not on the island at the time of the drowning as she was home here in Jamaica attending a funeral, and was expected to have returned to St Maarten yesterday.