AN accident on the Essequibo River on Saturday night between a river ambulance attached to the Bartica Public Hospital and a passenger boat, resulted in the injury of four persons while efforts are underway to locate the boat captain, Claude Pollard.
Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that the river ambulance, which was being captained by 59-year-old Bernard Singh of Housing Scheme, Bartica was proceeding from Parika to Bartica, while the other boat – captained by Pollard – was travelling from Bartica enroute to Parika; the passenger boat had seven persons on board.
Police said, while in the vicinity of Stampa Point, the two boats collided at around 19:01h, causing four of the passengers to receive injuries while Captain Pollard fell into the river.
Efforts to retrieve his body proved futile and the injured passengers were taken to the Bartica Public Hospital. On Sunday, a team comprising of police ranks, an officer of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and an official from the Bartica Speedboat Association visited the scene and formed part of the investigation.