The boat which police found drifting in the Essequibo River
The body of a 40-year-old miner who went missing was on Friday found floating in the Essequibo River.
Dead is Exley Boyal from Batavia Village, a Cuyuni riverine community in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
According to a report issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Boyal was reported missing on April 18 between 8:30h and 10:45h. At the time of his disappearance, he was travelling from Bartica to Burn Bush, a community along the Essequibo River.
Reports are that at around 10:45h on Friday, a boat captain from Falmouth, Essequibo River, called the Bartica Police Station and reported that he had seen a ballahoo (a small wooden boat) with a 15hp Yamaha outboard engine drifting in the vicinity of Byderabo, situated along the Essequibo River. He had also said that the engine was running but no one was in the boat.
The scene was visited by a rank, and the boat was seen. A search of the vessel recovered 1 ZTE cellular phone and four five-gallon pails. The boat was consequently taken to Bartica and docked at the stelling, and the items were confirmed to be the property of 40-year -old Exley Boyal following a conversation with his wife, who told Police that on April 18, 2024, at 8:30h, she, her husband and a 59-year-old chainsaw operator from Batavia Village had travelled to Bartica.
She said she had disembarked at Bartica Market, while her husband and the chainsaw operator had proceeded to Burn Bush, an Essequibo riverine community.
The 59-year-old chainsaw operator was contacted and questioned by ranks, and he indicated that after Boyal’s wife had disembarked at Bartica Market, he and the deceased had gone to Sherry’s Saw Mill at Burn Bush, Essequibo River. However, before proceeding, they had stopped at Dass’s Liquor Store at First Avenue, Bartica, where they had purchased half a bottle of high wine and started imbibing.
He explained that they had arrived safely at Sherry’s Saw Mill, and after a while, Boyal had left Burn Bush to return to Bartica in the ballahoo.
This information had prompted another search of the area, but Boyal’s body was not found during that search. His body was subsequently fished out of the Essequibo River and escorted to the Bartica Hospital.
Police have said that an examination conducted on Boyal’s body by a crime scene technician revealed no marks of violence thereon. However, a ‘blood-like’ substance was seen oozing from his nostrils. As result, Boyal’s body was then taken to the hospital mortuary for storage, as it awaits a post-mortem examination. Investigations are ongoing.
