The four men whose boat was struck last evening in the Upper Berbice River are still missing and Region Six police are presently in the area conducting a search.
The missing men were listed as Freeman Denheart and his son, Romario Denheart, 22; Julian Mckenzie and Kidman Lindie all of Sandhill, Berbice River.
Stabroek News was told that the four missing men were heading into the area from New Amsterdam around 8 pm when a boat coming from the Upper Berbice area collided with them.
According to information gathered, three men on the smugglers’ boat have since been arrested while police are on the hunt for a fourth.
Commander of Region Six, Calvin Brutus said that the men in custody were heading out with marijuana when they reportedly collided with the missing men’s boat. The suspects did not stop to render assistance but rather sped away.
The three were later arrested under Canje Bridge with over 30 kilograms of cannabis while the fourth fled the scene after police arrived.
The police today issued the following update:
A search is currently underway in the Berbice River to locate four males who are feared drowned following an alleged boat mishap which reportedly occurred on Tuesday, April 27, 2020 about 18:45h , in the vicinity of Friendship Village.
Facts:
Marvin Kissoon, age 39, a fisherman of Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje Berbice , captain of a wooden balahoo with four occupants and another wooden balahoo with four occupants namely: Julian Mc Kenzie, age unknown; Kidman Lindie, age also unknown both of Sandhill Village, Berbice River , and Freeman Denheart, age unknown and his son Romario Denheart, age also unknown of Heathburn Village, East Bank Berbice.
Enquiries conducted so far revealed that on date and time mentioned above Marvin Kissoon was proceeding north along the Berbice River with four occupants, while the other boat with captain and three occupants were proceeding south , in the opposite direction.
Kissoon alleged that as they were traveling along the river, he noticed the boat coming towards him and as a consequence he pulled eastward to avoid a collision and at the same time the other captain also pulled eastward and both boats collided and capsized .
Kissoon and his occupants re-entered their boat and fled the scene after they realised that the captain and occupants of the other vessel failed to surface.
Kissoon is in custody assisting with the investigation.
Based on what was told to investigators, yesterday police went to Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice and arrested three of the four occupants who were in Kissoon’s boat;
1) a 20 year-old labourer of Maria Henrietta Village, Berbice River.
2) a 51 year-old labourer of Adelphi Village, Corentyne, Berbice and
3) a 23 year -old labourer of No 2 Village, Canje Berbice.
They were found in possession of thirty-two taped parcels of suspected cannabis which when weighed amounted to 36.97 kilograms.
The fourth occupant who resides at Palmyra Village , Corentyne, Berbice is being sought.
A further update will follow.