Four persons including a 74-year-old man were forced to swim ashore just after midnight on Friday after a barge carrying sand slammed into the boat they were traveling in along the Corentyne River.
The incident occurred about four miles from Orealla.
Reports are that 45-year-old Gordon Herman, a farmer of Anora Point, Orealla, along with his father Kelvin Herman, 74, and two others were in a 22-foot boat being powered by a 15hp engine when, according to the younger Herman who was captaining the boat, they spotted the barge heading towards their direction.
He said he continued to signal his light toward the captain of the barge that he is coming toward his boat and within minutes he felt a hard impact on his boat. The boat went under the barge with all four persons aboard.
Fortunately, they were all able to swim to shore with only minor injuries.
At the time, Herman was heading to Corriverton which is located 50 miles from Orealla and the barge, which is owned by a businessman of Springlands, Corriverton was heading in the opposite direction.
Police are currently investigating the mishap.
