Venezuelan youth feared drowned after falling into Cuyuni River

A nineteen-year-old Venezuelan national is feared to have drowned after it was reported he had gone missing on Monday midday after falling overboard in the Upper Cuyuni River.

A police report informed that the missing man is said to be Bryan (only name given).

According to the report, as was related to police by the twenty-seven-year old boat captain of Lake Mainstay, Essequibo Coast, Bryan had requested around 10.30am on Monday that he be transported to a place called Devil’s Area on the Cuyuni River.

The report stated that the boat captain agreed to take the man to his destination. Bryan was alone when he joined the boat. The captain also said that five other persons were in the boat at the time of the mishap.

The boat which is 50 feet long and 5 feet wide, was loaded with 45 drums of gasoline. At the time of the incident, Bryan was sitting on a bucket atop of one of the drums. While travelling along the river near a place called ‘Two Point Backdam Landing’, the bucket slipped and the Venezuelan man fell into the river.

It was said that one of the five passengers jumped into the river to rescue the man but his attempt proved futile.

Senior Superintendent, Linden Lord, yesterday confirmed that the incident has been considered a mishap and no one is in police custody. The search for the missing man is ongoing.