FIFTY-SEVEN-year-old Seepersaud Roopchand, a Tug Operator attached to the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), and father of one of 4056 Westminster, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, fell overboard at approximately 11:40 hrs yesterday, and was later pronounced dead at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Mr. Roopchand had been on duty from 6am to facilitate a bridge inspection. He had been advised, at around 8am, that the inspection was no longer on, and he was to moor the tug – the “Rickford L” – at Span 8, which is the normal docking position.

At approximately 11.40am, a DHB engineer observed that the “Rickford L” had capsized and that Mr. Roopchand was being swept downstream, so the DHB’s maintenance boat, which is outfitted with safety equipment, was immediately mobilized for Mr Roopchand’s rescue.

Mr. Roopchand’s body was retrieved some 200 to 300 metres downstream of the bridge. Fellow workers immediately administered CPR, but their efforts failed to revive Mr Roopchand. He was then rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The DHB has mounted an internal investigation into the matter. The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Guyana Police Force have been notified of the incident and are conducting independent investigations.

Mr. Roopchand had been a licensed boat operator with DHB since July 25, 2013, and had been considered an experienced captain. His wife and next of kin have been notified of the incident.

Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said at a press briefing held moments after the incident that the matter would be thoroughly investigated. He said questions are being asked pertaining to non use of the life ring and determination of whether any unsafe practices had been employed.

Minister Benn said the Works Ministry would be working diligently to prevent future repeat of the incident, even as he expressed deepest regrets at the passing of Mr Seepersaud Roopchand and said that the DHB would support the relatives of the deceased.

DHB General Manager (GM) Rawlston Adams expressed deep regret at the incident. He said moments after he had left the bridge, the shift supervisor had informed him that a tug had overturned and that someone had died, and he immediately returned to the bridge. He said that although CPR had immediately been performed on Mr Roopchand, the man had not responded, so he was taken to the

Diamond Hospital, and his family members were informed of the incident.

Roopchand’s brother, Mohan Roopchand, said he was at home when he heard of the incident; and because he had confidence in his brother Seepersaud, who had previously worked as a tug captain in French Guiana and had always been a careful man when at sea, he could not believe what had been narrated to him.

After the incident, traffic on the DHB was a bit congested, as motorists drove at a slow rate to see what was happening. One truck driver related that Roopchand could have been alive if a boat had immediately been available to go to his rescue when his body was bobbing up and down in the water.

(By Asif Hakim)