By Antonio Dey
Alma Wells, 53, of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara died at approximately 6:15 am yesterday while travelling to Georgetown from Mabaruma on the MV Ma Lisha, her family told Stabroek News.
The Ministry of Public Works through the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) yesterday confirmed that a passenger who it did not name had been found motionless and was transferred to a GDF coastguard vessel for medical assistance to be provided.
Colene Wells, the woman’s daughter tearfully related to Stabroek News that her last conversation with her mother was on Monday evening when she inquired of her well-being. She said her mother who was on the boat on Monday evening assured her that she was fine and was coming home yesterday morning.
The distraught daughter said at about 5 am yesterday, she again contacted her mother to ask of her well-being but received no response, another call was made and that too went unanswered. It was not until around 7 am that she received information of her mother’s demise from a relative.
Colene recalled that an employee from the T&HD had informed her that her mother had collapsed on the ferry and was gasping for breath. Colene said that her mother did suffer from hypertension.
Wells, according to a statement yesterday from the T&HD was taken off the ferry by the coast guard. She was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Julene Nasir, a niece of the deceased said that initially she didn’t believe the news of her aunt’s demise until she went to the hospital to see for herself.
“When we heard the news, we didn’t believe until we decided to go the hospital to confirm for ourselves” she related to Stabroek News.
Dave Daniels, a nephew of the deceased said that he is shocked at the news.
“When I received the call, I could not believe it right now I am lost for words.”
The family is awaiting a post- mortem examination which is expected by tomorrow.
Meanwhile some Venezuelan passengers who were on the ferry at the time of the incident related to Stabroek News that Wells appeared exhausted and eventually collapsed on the deck
“The …lady was looking tired and I was going to offer her some water until she collapsed,” one passenger related in Spanish.
“The a/c [air conditioning] was not working properly and of course the place is hot so of course that will tire anyone,” another passenger told this newspaper.
Several passengers posited that Wells’ cause of death could be a heart attack as she was clutching her chest.
Captain of the MV Ma Lisha, Navindra Singh, told Stabroek News yesterday that Wells was reportedly unwell and got up to go the washroom to wash her face. Upon return she was reportedly feeling revived and eventually fell asleep, but a few hours later a nearby passenger spoke to her but she was unresponsive and later collapsed on the deck.
Singh said he contacted the maritime administration for the coast guard to transport her to the hospital for medical treatment. He said she was alive while being transported.
He also recounted that there was some amount of consternation as there was another incident on the ferry involving an 18-year-old girl who was asthmatic and who had to be provided with help.
Pulse
The T&HD release confirmed that Wells was observed by crew members sitting motionless in her seat prompting them to check for a pulse. Not finding any, the release said that the captain then proceeded to give CPR to revive the passenger, who subsequently regained consciousness and was assisted by the crew to lie down on a mattress.
The passenger was then continuously monitored and after being observed to be motionless again, the captain informed the lighthouse and the management of T&HD of the situation on board. They in turn contacted the Coast Guard for assistance, the release said.
The Coast Guard immediately dispatched one of its Metal Shark vessels to the ferry, which was one mile west of the sea buoy, off the Essequibo Coast. The Coast Guard vessel arrived 8.40 am and Wells was taken off the ferry.
The release also addressed the case of the 18-year-old who was having an asthma attack.
“At 22.40 hours (Tuesday), the teen who is an asthmatic case was having an asthma attack but did not have any medication in her possession, the crew was able to render assistance by providing her with an inhaler that was kept on board, and by giving her oxygen with a nebulizer. The teen regained good health around 01.30 hours on September 6 (Wednesday).”
The teen was also taken off the ferry by the Coast Guard for further medical check-ups and clearance.
The release also denied that there was a malfunctioning air conditioning unit. It thanked the Guyana Coast Guard for its quick response yesterday and for its continued support offered to the country’s maritime agencies.
