Father, son feared drowned after boat capsizes in Berbice River

A father and son are feared drowned after the boat in which they and others were returning from an iguana hunting trip capsized in the Berbice River on Friday afternoon.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of Everton, East Bank Berbice (EBB), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), at about 15:30h.
Those feared drowned are 63-year-old Rajindra Singh and his 24-year-old son, Detesh Singh, both of Number Three Settlement, Blairmont, West Bank Berbice (WBB), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
The crew of five had comprised the captain, Sirjoo Persaud, called ‘Popo’, 48, Mahatma Dhanraj 37, Rajindra and Detesh Singh, and Mark (no age or surname given).

According to the police, the captain and Dhanraj went to the Blairmont Police Station and reported that they, along with Rajindra Singh, Detesh Singh, and Mark, left the Number Four Blairmont sluice, at about 8:30h on Friday in a 15 feet wooden boat, which was powered by a 15hp outboard engine, and captained by Persaud, with the intention of hunting iguanas in the Berbice River area.
While hunting, they were consuming alcohol (red wine). Persaud told investigators that around 13:30h, while returning home in the vicinity of Everton in the Berbice River, a heavy wave hit the boat, causing water to enter.
Persaud told investigators that this caused one of the Singh’s to jump overboard. Thereafter, the boat capsized, and everyone went overboard.

Persaud, Dhanraj and Mark manage to swim to Region No. 5 foreshore, but the father and son were not seen and are now considered missing.
Police, along with members of the Coast Guard conducted a search in the mentioned area but were only able to recover the boat, which is currently at the Coast Guard base.
Sirjoon Persaud and Mahatma Dhanraj remain in police custody at Blairmont Police Station assisting the police with the investigation, which is ongoing.