Maritime authorities believe they have spotted the body of New Amsterdam resident Shawn Robinson who went missing after the boat he was travelling in along with six other passengers capsized at the Matouk Falls, Cuyuni area while en route to Bartica last Saturday.
Authorities told Stabroek News last evening that they located a body not far from the rapids where the accident occurred and the body is to be retrieved today.
Prior to the spotting of the body, Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford told Stabroek News yesterday “The last time an accident of this nature happened, they found the last body seven days after… so they [search crews] are not giving up hope just yet”.
The boat, Black Angel, had capsized after both of the engines failed and three persons—the boat captain, Junior Lyte, 19, of Batavia, Cuyuni and two passengers David Prass, 26, of New Amsterdam and Morris Hopkinson of Second Avenue, Bartica—managed to make it to shore.
The bodies of two men, William Patoir, of New Amsterdam, Berbice and Junior Bandhu, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, were recovered on Sunday in the Matouk Falls, Cuyuni area, while the body of Clive Welcome, 18, of Bartica was recovered on Monday.
Several relatives of the deceased men have been questioning whether Lyte was qualified and had a licence to operate the vessel. Meantime, when questioned on the reports of Lyte’s qualification, Bradford said that he was not aware of this but pointed out that boat captains navigating the Essequibo, Cuyuni, and Mazaruni rivers have to be very skilful and know the area, given the nature of the rivers which have many rapids. “The only way you learn to navigate any of the three rivers… you have to have practical experience,” he said. “Constantly travelling up and down the river, that is how you learn the river.”
Bradford had also said that Lyte was in police custody after the incident, but has since been released on bail.
