Police are investigating the death of a dredge owner in a reported mining accident in the Mazaruni.
In a statement yesterday, the police said that Bertram Willie, 60, of Wisroc New Housing Scheme, Linden, died on 6th March 2024 at about 12:45 pm at Cowing Backdam, Upper Mazaruni River in Region 7.
Willie was the registered owner of a four-inch dredge. Trevor Benn, a 50-year-old miner of Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, reported that on the day in question, Willie was in the Mazaruni River extracting gravel when he (Benn) observed that a piece of land was caving into the river. Benn said he tried to alert Willie but got no response from him. He immediately raised an alarm and with the assistance of other miners nearby, he went into the river searching for Willie, who was found pinned underwater by a tree stump.
Benn said he managed to free Willie whose body, by this time, was motionless. Benn escorted Willie’s body to the Imbaimadai Health Post.
