By Kenesha Fraser
The body of a 44-year-old boat captain of Charity, Essequibo Coast was yesterday pulled from the Pomeroon River after the craft he was piloting sank.
Dead is Victor Waziram called ‘Son’ of Charity Extension Housing Scheme.
According to information, two persons where on the boat along with Waziram. The boat which is used to transport goods from Charity to Barama, North West was in the vicinity of the Pomeroon River Mouth when it collided with a floating log causing it to sink.
Speaking with Stabroek News, the daughter of the dead man, Allison Waziram said that her father left home on November 7th and kept in contact with her mother via cell phone while he was away.
“Daddy left to go and when he reached the River Mouth he called home to say that the boat was leaking and he would turn back to fix it. When he came back to Charity, he fix the boat then he left on the same day to go back. I can remember my mother was telling him not to go but he said that he had passengers already. He was coming out from Barama when he call yesterday and said he was coming home.”
Allison Waziram added that her mother was expecting him home but yesterday morning around 7am they received the news that her father was involved in an accident.
“This morning when a vehicle came, I told my mother that daddy come but it wasn’t him. Uncle Bobby come and ask if we hear what happen and he said that daddy get in a accident in the river and he die. My mother said that she ain believe and we come out and gone in river to search for him. We start calling for him because we thought that he was still alive and he was at the shore.”
The woman added that the police were informed and a search for the body began.
“We reach before the police and we start searching and we see where the boat gone down and everything. I was there and I saw when his body float up. There was a rope tied around his waist and the rope was tied on the boat too. My father also had a (wound) at the back of his head. I still wondering why he would tie himself to the boat. That doesn’t make sense.”
The body of Waziram was recovered at around 12:30pm.
This newspaper was told that the boat piloted by Waziram had a number of gas bottles and wood that he was transporting to Charity. At the time when the mishap occurred, the boat was also towing a smaller boat that was picked up along the way by Waziram.
The boat was powered by a 75-horse power outboard engine.
Irma Burnette, one of the two passengers on the boat said that the boat started to sink after 9 pm on Saturday night.
“The boat was towing a boat at the back and the boat rope burst and `Son’ had to turn back and he put on a stronger rope. I gone and then I fall asleep.”
Burnette added that the other passenger on the boat was standing next to Waziram shining the light so he could see to navigate the boat.
“The man deh stand up next to `Son’ and they were gaffing and laffing and I lef them and I went at the bow about after 9 and I sleep away. Then all I know is that the man that was shining the light wake me up and tell me look the boat going down. We went in the middle of the ocean at the time. After the boat start going down, the tent break up and me hurry and gone to look for the bag but I couldn’t get anything and the man that was in the boat and me gone in the next boat that `Son’ was towing and we loose out the rope and paddle across the river with a bowl cover and sit there till morning and a …boy rescue we in the morning. The boat and everything gone down. Nothing was saved. Everything happen so fast. I didn’t see back `Son’ or anything. As soon as we reach to Charity we come to the police station.”
Police investigations are ongoing and the family of the dead man are hoping that a thorough investigation into the matter will be conducted.
