The police yesterday said that they are investigating an incident which resulted in the death of Ezekiel Benjamin, a 19-year-old excavator operator, at about 11:50 am yesterday at Kara Kara in Mackenzie, Linden.
The police said in a statement that enquiries disclosed that Benjamin was employed by Dindyal Sookram (D. Sookram & Daughters General Contractor). He was tasked with operating an excavator on the northeast Kara Kara land to dig a drain, allowing lodged water to run out to the Kara Kara Creek.
While operating the excavator, it began to sink in the swampy land. The excavator sank from the side and became submerged in the swamp, trapping Benjamin inside the cabin.
Operators from another company, BOSAI, discovered the submerged excavator and raised an alarm. Employees from the other company rendered assistance, breaking the excavator cabin’s glass window and retrieving the body, the statement said.
The body was examined by crime scene investigators who found no visible marks of violence on the most exposed parts of the body. The body was then transported to the Mackenzie Hospital Complex.
The body was later escorted to the G-Jetsco Funeral Home, pending a post-mortem examination. Statements are still being taken as part of the ongoing investigation.
Workplace deaths have increased this year over the corresponding period last year.
