Corentyne fisherman feared dead after falling overboard near Orealla

…“I want my husband to come home” – wife

The wife of a Corentyne fisherman is clinging to hope for his safe return after he reportedly fell overboard in the Corentyne River in the vicinity of Orealla, some 50 miles upriver, on Saturday afternoon and has not been seen since.
Missing is Alladin Dookie, 28, a captain of the fishing vessel “Gordon”, who resides at No. 77 Housing Scheme, Corriverton, Berbice. According to police, the incident occurred at about 17:59h on March 21 as the vessel was in the vicinity of Orealla Village. Police said information received from Dookie’s mother-in-law, Leila Singh, indicated that she was traveling in a boat at the time when she observed him along with three crew members aboard his vessel. During that time, Dookie was reportedly attempting to start the engine by pulling the choke while leaning over the side of the boat. In the process, he lost his balance and fell into the river.
The matter was reported to the Orealla Police Station at about 19:00h, and ranks visited the scene shortly after. A search party was subsequently formed and efforts to locate the missing fisherman have been ongoing. Up to late Monday evening, there had been no signs of Dookie, as searches continue along the wide and often unpredictable Corentyne River, where strong currents and depth can complicate recovery efforts. Back home, his wife, Amrita Singh, is now left to grapple with the sudden and frightening uncertainty of life without him.

The couple has been married for 10 years and shares four children aged nine, six, four and one year and five months. “It will be very, very hard… for me, it is very hard,” she said. Singh explained that her husband has always been the backbone of the household, ensuring that the family is provided for and supported. “Everything he does helps me… now it’s just me alone with the children,” she said. Now, she said, the reality of caring for four young children on her own is already setting in, with responsibilities that once were shared now resting solely on her shoulders. “Looking after the children alone is extremely hard,” Singh added. She noted that her husband was not someone who would stay away from home for long, explaining that he would usually return within a short time, with Friday being about the longest he would remain out at sea. His continued absence, she said, is therefore deeply troubling. As hours have turned into days, the lack of clear information surrounding the search has only added to her distress and uncertainty. “I don’t know anything about the search… nobody is telling us anything,” she said. Even so, Singh continues to hold on to hope as she waits for word on her husband while trying to comfort their children and make sense of a future that has suddenly become uncertain. As search efforts continue along the Corentyne River, relatives remain anxiously awaiting any development, hoping for answers and for his return. This comes weeks after the body of another fisherman, 33-year-old fisherman Ryan Roberts also called “Blue Shirt,” of Block B Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB), who had gone missing was found. It was reported that Roberts was among a five-man fishing crew that departed the Abary fishing landing on February 24, 2026 on what was expected to be a 15-day fishing expedition. Reports are that the crew had been hauling in their fishing seine when a large wave struck the vessel, causing Roberts, who had been standing near an ice box, to be knocked overboard into the Atlantic Ocean. His body was discovered along the foreshore at Cottage Village, WCB, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).