Four persons are missing after their boat capsized at the Matouk Falls on the Cuyuni River, Region Seven yesterday.
River and aerial searches up to late yesterday afternoon failed to turn up any sign of Clive Welcome, 18, of Bartica, Junior Bandhu, 35, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and Shawn Robinson and William Patwa of New Amsterdam, Berbice. Three others including the boat captain, Junior Lyte, 19, of Batavia, Cuyuni managed to make it to shore when the boat, the Black Angel capsized at the Matouk Falls at around 10.30 am yesterday. The other survivors are David Prass, 26, of New Amsterdam and Morris Hopkinson of Second Avenue, Bartica.
The falls are about an hour away from Bartica, according to Region Seven chairman Gordon Bradford.
Police in a statement said that the four missing men are believed to have drowned. The police said that the boat was heading to Bartica. According to the statement, at Aranka, Cuyuni, Lyte who was being assisted by Welcome, picked up Robinson, Patwa, Prass, Bandhu and Hopkinson.
“While in the Matouk Falls area both of the engines of the vessel failed and it subsequently capsized,” the police said adding that the crew of another boat in the area rescued Lyte, Prass and Hopkinson. “The other four men are unaccounted for and the search is continuing,” the police said.
Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn told Stabroek News that the army’s helicopter has been deployed to the area in a search and rescue mission. Teams from Bartica also went to the area with boats to look for the missing men but despite hours of searching, they were unable to locate anyone. The boat was owned by Severn Williams.
Bradford told Stabroek News that the community was in shock. “We’re hoping against all odds but those who know the treacherousness of the area… deep down we know there is a very slim chance,” he said. He said that yesterday’s search efforts were hampered by the incessant rain but parties were out till late afternoon. “The search had to be called off with no further success,” he said, adding that it will be resumed today.
Welcome’s mother, Andrea Wills told Stabroek News that her son had left home on Friday to go upriver. “He left to go up to come back [Saturday] and then I hear about the mishap in the falls,” the woman said. She said that Welcome’s brothers immediately left to search the area but were unsuccessful. However, she said that they found some lifejackets floating in the river. Welcome had played for the junior national football team and had become involved in grass track racing, she said. Wills added that he sometimes took trips up the river. “Like when the boat going, he does go up and walk,” she said.
The accident is one of a number that have occurred in the country in recent times. In January ten persons died after two boats collided on the Mazaruni River. The two boat captains were charged with manslaughter and released on $1 million bail each. A report on the collision, prepared by Director of Maritime Safety Stephen Thomas had confirmed that the small open boat Dube collided with another small open boat Mattrani in the Mazaruni River in the Crab Falls area, as they were navigating the point of an island. The Dube, with 10 persons on board and a quantity of cargo, was travelling from Parika and was destined for Puruni, while the Mattrani was leaving Puruni and was destined for Parika through Bartica, when the accident occurred, the report said.
There have been other mishaps with multiple fatalities and reports on these are yet to be released.
