Tragedy on the Essequibo river…

TWO men are dead and a 10-year-old boy is missing following a boat collision sometime between Monday night and yesterday morning in the mighty Essequibo River.

Confirmed dead are Jainarine Dinanauth, 45, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo and Hogg Island; and his employee identified as Henry Gibson, 46, of Hogg Island, Essequibo River.

Jainarine Dinanauth’s brother, Ramnarine at the Parika stelling yesterday

Jainarine’s 10-year-old son, Ricky Dinanauth, is also believed to have perished in the accident but in spite of a frantic search by a group of policemen and relatives, his body has not been recovered up to press time last night.

A Police statement said the river mishap occurred sometime between 18:30 h Monday evening and 08:30 h yesterday morning in the Essequibo River and “which resulted in the death of Jainarine Dinanauth, 45, and his son, Ricky, 10, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo; and Henry Gibson, 46, of Hogg Island, Essequibo River”.

Police reported that the three victims left Parika Stelling about 18:30 h on Monday for Hogg Island in a wooden boat.

After he had not made contact with her Monday night and up to early yesterday morning, Dinanauth’s reputed wife began making enquiries and subsequently formed a search party with the assistance of public spirited persons.

They eventually found the bodies of Jainarine Dinanauth and Henry Gibson, which bore injuries, in the boat which was severely damaged. The boat was in the Essequibo River in the vicinity of Hogg Island.

Dinanauth’s brother, Ramnarine told the Guyana Chronicle that at about 10:00 h yesterday morning, they learnt of the incident when relatives began telephoning each other as to the trio’s whereabouts.

The men and the child were expected in Hogg Island and when they failed to show up, relatives were alerted and began a search.

It was then they found the bodies of Dinanauth and his employee, Henry Gibson, inside the boat but the boy is missing.

The badly damaged private speed boat, powered by a 40 horsepower engine, was brought to the Parika Stelling by the police and the bodies of Dinanauth and Gibson conveyed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where a post mortem will be carried out.

Ramnarine said it is believed the collision occurred somewhere between Hogg Island and Leguan.

The grieving man added that his brother – accompanied by his nephew and Henry Gibson, were heading to Hogg Island to tend to their farming business when tragedy struck.

He noted that Ricky Dinanauth came out with their boat from Hogg Island to pick up his father and their employee, Henry, at about 18:30 h (6:30 pm) on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, the other boat that was reportedly involved in the collision is believed to be a private boat that has subsequently ‘sped away’ after the collision.

Relatives of the dead men turned up in their numbers at the Parika Stelling yesterday and cried openly when they were told that the men had died.

Jainarine was a farmer and also worked in the interior.