A differently-abled woman was raped by two men aboard the MV Kimbia and she later attempted to leap off the vessel as it was on its way to Georgetown from the North West on Thursday morning.
The young woman, who was travelling to the city with relatives, was attacked on Wednesday night by two men as the ferry sailed towards Port Georgetown from Kumaka, in the Mabaruma Sub-Region.
The ferry departed the interior location for the 20-hour journey to the city on Wednesday morning.
Officials at the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) said they were unaware of the incident, when contacted yesterday, but a passenger told this newspaper it occurred some time after midnight on Wednesday. He said the young woman, who was travelling from the North West area, was attacked by the men, who appeared intoxicated.
Other passengers were unaware of the incident until the young lady raised an alarm on Thursday morning as the vessel was on the final leg of the journey.
It was some time after she informed persons what had transpired that she attempted to leap into the Atlantic, a passenger said.
However, she was “talked out” of it by other passengers and relatives and according to reports, security officials on board the vessel subsequently arrested the two men who were pointed out by the young woman.
Passengers subsequently experienced delays disembarking the vessel on its arrival in the city around midday on Thursday as police carried out investigations into the incident.
