Essequibo boat tragedy… Captains were using cellphone lights at time of crash

Police sources have confirmed that the captains of both vessels involved in the deadly collision in the Essequibo River were using the lights from their cellular phones to help them navigate the dark waters at the time of the accident.

The accident which occurred around 18:00 hours on Monday has left at least one person confirmed dead. The female victim has been identified as Suriname–based Guyanese businesswoman Sherry Khan, a mother of four. Khan, died tragically after two boats collided at Chalmers’ crossing located at the western tip of Hog Island, in the Essequibo River.

The 54yearold woman was among eight passengers aboard an M&Y Express vessel headed in the direction of Buck Hall when it collided with a Venezuelaregistered fibreglass boat which was proceeding in the opposite direction. Reports indicate the Venezuelan vessel was under repairs and on a test run when it smashed into the passenger vessel. Police and maritime sources later confirmed that the captains of both vessels were navigating the dark waters without the use of proper lights.

The authorities confirmed too that five persons were injured and taken the Leonora Cottage and West Demerara Regional Hospitals. At least two were moved to private city hospitals where they remain hospitalised. The survivors were identified as Devindra Singh called Crank, 43, the captain of the passenger vessel, of Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), Milton Duke, 43, a businessman and his wife Yalutine Homankirk, Jaeva Viera Nun, a Brazilian National and Raymond Charles.

Jose Francisco Joaquin, a male Brazilian, and Anthony Roberts, 25, an auto electrician of Philadelphia, EBE, remain missing. At least one survivor (Charles) was able to recount the incident. He said that the passenger boat overturned several miles away from their destination. According to him, the other vessel appeared out of nowhere and slammed the passenger boat which capsized with the travellers and their goods. “The thing happen so fast because we barely see the white boat and next thing we know everybody overboard.” Charles said that he tried his best to save the others, especially Khan, whom he knew by only her first name “Sherry.”

(Kaiteur News)