A 22-year-old special constable attached to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is feared drowned after the boat he was in capsized yesterday in the Amatuk Falls area, Potaro River.
Special Constable 14536 Akeem Hyles of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), who hails from New Amsterdam, Berbice was among a team of Joint Services personnel and officials of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) in the area seeking to halt illegal mining operations at Kaieteur Park.
Up to late yesterday afternoon, there had been no sighting of Hyles. Efforts to contact his family proved futile.
The police, in a press release, said Hyles was among the team that departed the Ogle Airport yesterday morning. He disappeared after the vessel capsized and is suspected to have drowned.
A separate statement issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources stated that Minister Raphael Trotman “is saddened by this unfortunate incident and his prayers are with the relatives of the missing rank.”
It said the “Government of Guyana commenced an operation with support from the Joint Services to halt illegal mining activities that have been on the increase in and around the Kaieteur National Park.”
The statement said an investigation is currently ongoing.
Hyles has been a serving member of the force for the past four years.
