Attack on cargo vessel in Essequibo not piracy – Police

The attack on a cargo vessel in the Essequibo River earlier this month, which resulted in two men on the boat being severely wounded, was not piracy related.

This is according to Commander of G Division (Essequibo Coast-Islands), Khali Pareshram, who told Guyana Times in an interview on Saturday that while his ranks are still investigating this, there was never a report about it being a piracy act.
He stated that the suspects and the injured men are known to each other. It is believed that the group of men had a dispute with each other and this led to the planned attack on the cargo vessel on May 9, 2019.
However, no one is presently in Police custody.
“No, it is nothing of the sort of piracy. We are investigating an incident where we have made progress… we have made two arrests. They were in custody and released on bail.”
Earlier this week, Deputy Police Commissioner and Crime Chief, Lyndon Alves, confirmed that the incident is now in the hands of detectives in Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
Guyana Times understands that the cargo vessel with a three-man crew came under attack at about 22:00h on Thursday last. The cargo vessel was said to be heading to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) from Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) when the attack occurred.
Reports are two of the crew members were hospitalised after being chopped about their bodies by the attackers. At the time of the incident, one crew member managed to escape after he jumped into the Essequibo River where he waited out the attack on his co-workers.
He then managed to swim back to the vessel, where he found his co-workers badly wounded. The man subsequently called for assistance on a cellular phone.
The attackers also carted off with an undisclosed sum of cash that was to be used to purchase fuel and supplies.