AGATHTA Gill, 38, a housewife of Friendship Canal, Lower Pomeroon River, and her two-year-old grandson drowned after the boat they were travelling in capsized around midnight on Friday in the Lower Pomeroon River.

Police said that the wooden boat “balahoo” with a 75 horse-power engine was driven by her husband, Riley Gill, 42, of the aforementioned address.
Reports indicate that on Friday about 20:00hrs, Mrs. Gill left home and visited a friend during the festive season and consumed alcoholic beverages with some friends at Burn Bush, Lower Pomeroon River in the company of her husband and grandson.

The husband related to the police that it was whilst returning home, in the boat, he entered the Friendship Canal. It was there that a coconut husk hit the engine propeller causing him to lose control of the handle of the engine, which caused the boat to hit the edge of the left bank of the river.
This, he said, caused the boat to capsize, resulting in his wife and grandson being trapped underneath. Mr Riley was intoxicated at the time.
Mr Riley told the police that he tried to pull out his wife and grandson from underneath the boat but his efforts were futile. Mr Riley called on a group of public-spirited citizens who came to his rescue.

After the boat was turned over, Mr. Gill then pulled out his wife and his grandson from beneath the boat in an unconscious state.
He then received assistance in rushing them to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital where they were seen and examined by a doctor on duty who pronounced them dead on arrival.
Their bodies were also examined by the police but no marks of violence were observed and so they are at the Suddie Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting an autopsy.
Riley Gill is in police custody at the Charity Police Station as investigations continue.