One man is now missing after the boat, in which he and five others were travelling in, capsized in the Essequibo River on Friday.
Missing is 24-year0old Junior Kenroy Sooklall, a private soldier in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) stationed at Fort Island.
The incident occurred sometime around 16:45 hours in the vicinity of St. Lawrence, East Bank of the Essequibo River.
Police reports revealed that a group of GDF soldiers were heading to Parika from Essequibo in a private speed boat and while, in the vicinity of St. Lawrence, they heard shouts of persons in the river and observed a boat was sinking.
As the ranks quickly went to the direction of the persons, they observed four males in the water and two other males were in a green and black boat a few meters away. The ranks managed to rescue three persons from the water, however, the fourth male went down.
They further rescued the two other men that were in the boat after which the boat went down in the river.
The ranks then took the rescued men to Mangal’s Wharf, after which the Police was informed.
Rescued are: Everette Tudor, age 40 years, a Staff Sergeant of the Guyana Defence Force who resides at lot 659 South “B” Field Sophia, Georgetown and is the Base Commander for Fort Island; 28-year-old Ramesh Beepat, a Captain of Lot 2 Old Road Le Destin, , East Bank Essequibo, who was the captain for the sunken boat; Turendra Lochan, age 28 years, a barber of Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo; 14-year-old Eon John, a student of Parika Primary School and resides at Lot 2 Le Destin, EBE, and 16-year-old Ryan Beepat, also a student of Lot 2 Le Destin, EBE.
The rescued persons were questioned by the police and escorted to Parika Police Station, where breathalyzer tests were conducted.
Tudore showed .101 and .114 micrograms. BAC; Turendra Lochan showed .108 and .119 micrograms BAC, and Captain Ramesh Beepat showed .132 and .118 micrograms.
Investigators further questioned the Captain who related the five passengers were traveling from Fort Island when they hit a wave and capsized in the the sunken boat, which is a 17 feet wooden boat with a 150 Hp Yamaha outboard engine that is unregistered.
A search and rescue team was dispatched into the area, in search of the missing person but Sooklall was not found.
Further searches are being conducted today as investigations continue.
