POLICE have launched an investigation into the Mazaruni River mishap involving two speed boats in which a Brazilian national lost her life on Friday.

It was reported that at about 12:50hrs last Friday the boats, captained by Eugene Charles, 58, of Parika, East Bank Essequibo and Clifton Melville, 19, of Fifth Avenue, Bartica, were proceeding along the Mazaruni River, with passengers when they collided, causing Jifele Brasilaira Vierra De Sales- Lie Akigia, a 31-year-old Brazilian woman to fall overboard and disappear.

As a result, a search was conducted and the body was found at 15:00hrs the same day and was taken to the Bartica Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) said at about 13:00hrs two vessels collided in the Mazaruni River, in the vicinity of an area known as “All-boys”.

A press release stated that one of the two boats is an aluminium hull passenger vessel and is propelled by two water jets. The other is a wooden passenger/cargo boat and was being propelled by a 200 horsepower outboard engine.

MARAD added that as a result of the collision, a fire ensued and quickly engulfed the wooden vessel causing a female passenger to be burned extensively, and she subsequently perished.

MARAD has sent a team to the Mazaruni area to commence an investigation into this incident, the release added.