Georgetown wharf tragedy: Crew rushed to help each other before dying

Four crew members died on Wednesday evening after collapsing one after the other while attempting to assist each other inside the engine room of a cargo vessel docked at a Water Street wharf in Georgetown.
Police said the incident occurred on Wednesday, at about 18:00h, when the men were conducting an inspection in the engine room, located in the lower section of the vessel.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Brandon Deonarine, 18, a seaman of Support, East Bank Demerara, and Nerwaine Persaud, 57, a boat captain of Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, were the first to enter the engine room. Both reportedly collapsed shortly after being exposed to suspected noxious fumes.
Dominic Alexis, 33, a seaman of De Kendren, West Coast Demerara, then entered the engine room in an attempt to render assistance. He also collapsed. Getindra Sanchara, 25, an engineer of Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, reportedly entered the space moments later in a further effort to help but likewise collapsed.
An alarm was subsequently raised by other crew members. Emergency Medical Technicians and ranks of the Guyana Fire Service responded and removed the four men from the vessel. They were transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where they were pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty.
The scene was processed by investigators; however, the engine room itself was not processed at the time, pending safety clearance. Police noted that no marks of violence were observed on the exposed parts of the bodies and no foul play is suspected at this stage.
The bodies are currently at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting post-mortem examinations as investigations continue.
The vessel has been identified as the Captain Virat, which is owned by a Guyanese national. Public Utilities Minister Deodat Indar confirmed the deaths on Wednesday evening and stated that an investigation into the cause is ongoing.
He further indicated that the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) is also participating in the probe.
Police have since launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.