Police are still combing the Barima River in the North West District of Region One in hope of finding fisherman Edward O’Neil alive or dead, after the boat in which he and 19-year-old Venezuelan national Kamal Hosea were travelling crashed into a piece of wood and ran aground on Sunday at about 02:00hrs.
The two were reportedly heading home after a night out drinking at the Kumaka Landing when the incident occurred.
Informing that the Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the incident, Commander Ravindradat Budhram has said a search party is out combing the area in search of O’Neil. He said initial investigations have revealed that the duo were proceeding close to the bank of the river when the boat hit a wood before running into some bushes.
Kamal told the Police that following the mishap he began combing the area for his friend, but did not locate him. An alarm was raised and residents in the area formed a search party, but their search yielded no results. Kamal was later taken to the Mabaruma Hospital where he is receiving treatment.
In July, a father and son lost their lives after the boat in which they were travelling was hit by another boat belonging to the Mabaruma Hospital. George Piper and his son Ravin, 18, along with another man known only as ‘Wood,’ were tossed out of their vessel at the mouth of the Moruca River; and while the other man survived the accident, George and his son lost their lives.
