Ramesh Maniram, the captain of the M.V. Three Brothers, and Ventle Jainarine one of four sailors who were aboard the vessel when it caught afire on Monday, are currently hospitalised at the Suddie Hospital, Essequibo Coast.

The ship subsequently sank.

Police said that the incident occurred at about 10:00hrs in the Moruca River. The names of the other sailors who rescued the two victims are not known at the moment.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the victims were near the vessel’s engine when a loud explosion was heard and a fire started. The fire reportedly spread quickly across the vessel and the two victims who were the last to evacuate the vessel were burnt.