Tragedy struck in the Mazaruni River on Wednes-day night when two speed boats collided not far from the riverain community of Bartica resulting in the death of a city businessman.
Dead is 41-year-old Bobby John Rafferty of Lot 3884 South Ruimveldt and the owner of Rafferty Engineering, Building and Spare Parts Service. The other passengers who were in the boat with Rafferty were injured.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the wooden boat that Rafferty was in was unlit at the time of the collision.
A press release issued by police yesterday afternoon said that investigations revealed that a fibre glass boat attached to the Mazaruni Prisons with the captain Marvin Azore and Superintendent of Prisons Karl David aboard collided with a wooden vessel captained by Gregory Atkins of Garnett Street, Campbellville.
Warren Foster, 27 years, and Reagan Singh, 32 years, of Brickdam who are employees of Willems Timber Company and Rafferty were also aboard that craft.
Police said that as a result of the collision which occurred around 8:40 pm, the wooden vessel capsized and some of the men aboard sustained injuries. The four men from the wooden vessel were rescued from the water by the occupants of the other boat and taken to the Bartica Hospital where Rafferty was pronounced dead on arrival. He sustained injuries to his face and left hand, believed to have been caused by an engine propeller.
The other three sustained injuries and are receiving medical attention.
This newspaper understands that the boat was shattered as a result of the collision.
Rafferty who left his home on Tuesday to complete a job at an interior location was scheduled to return yesterday. His wife, Gina, relatives and friends could hardly control their emotions when this newspaper visited the home.
Tears flowed openly as relatives questioned why he had to die in such a manner.
Gina travelled to Parika yesterday morning to escort her husband’s body back to Georgetown. The post-mortem is expected to be conducted today.
Amidst tears, Gina spoke to this newspaper as she recalled the last time she saw her husband alive and recount aspects of his life.
She said that he had gone to Kaow Island in the Essequibo River to fix an engine and was returning to another location to sleep. She said that she did not know where he was staying.
According to Gina, he was a very lively and loving person who contributed a lot to the community where he lived. She added that he was also a member of the community policing group. Rafferty was described as a loving father and a caring husband.
Gina told this newspaper that many years ago, he was involved in the logging business and about five to six years ago he opened the spare parts service.
He also fathered two daughters.
