One man is feared dead after the boat in which he was travelling capsized in the Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Sunday. Several other persons survived the incident.
The details of the accident were not immediately known, but when contacted, F Division (Interior Locations) Commander Rabindranauth Budram confirmed that the accident did occur.
He told Guyana Times that Police in Bartica received the report on Monday morning, and a team was immediately dispatched to the area. He, however, noted that the area where the accident occurred was very rocky and the water was very low which made it difficult to gain access.
He related that Police ranks would travel up to a point and hope that the water level would rise in order to reach the area.
“We are not certain about the circumstances surrounding the incident… we don’t have all the details as yet, nor do we have the name of the person who is feared dead,” he told Guyana Times.
The Commander added that once the Police ranks reached the site, they were required to send a progress report. Around the corresponding period last year, Ivor Haynes, a father of two, drowned while his brother-in-law and nephew survived a boat mishap in the Cuyuni area.
It was reported that the now dead man, along with three other men, including the captain of the boat, was travelling along the Cuyuni River from the Arawak Creek when tragedy struck.
The engine of the boat reportedly failed and the boat eventually capsized. Based on reports, the now dead man was busy trying to save a metal detector which he bought for more than million when he disappeared.
His nephew and brother-in-law allegedly jumped overboard and held onto a rock, and subsequently swam for three hours until they received assistance. They reportedly went back to the area to search for the missing man, but to no avail.
Haynes’ body was fished out of the river three days later.
