Two feared dead after boat mishap
Two feared dead after boat mishap
Kaieteur News – Two passengers are unaccounted for after a boat en-route to Bartica, Region Seven on Friday, crashed into a beacon in Essequibo River.
The Essequibo River.
The boat mishap took place, between 18:45 and 19:00hrs in the vicinity of Calf Island, Essequibo River. On board the vessel were ten passengers and among them Darrel Romeo, a popular DJ called Magnum. The captain of the vessel, Jermaine Blackman, told police that he was trying to navigate around a damaged beacon located about 100 feet east of Calf Island but collided with it instead. As result of the crash, a hole was formed at the bottom of the boat and it began taking in water.
Blackman said he attempted to sail ashore with the sinking vessel but it sunk very quickly and he along with his bowman, Lamuel Allen, 18, and the passengers were left with no choice but to swim to shore. News had reached persons in Bartica and other boatmen there sped out to rescue them. However, when the rescue mission was over, two passengers could not be found and authorities are beginning to fear that they might be dead.
Police reported that they are unclear whether the two passengers were wearing life jackets at the time of the incident. Those who survived were taken to the Bartica Hospital for treatment while Jermaine and his bowman are in police custody assisting with investigations. A search party is still combing the Essequibo River with the hope of finding the missing passengers alive.
