A SEARCH is underway by the police, coastguards and divers for two persons who are feared drowned after the boat they were in capsized in the Canje Creek on Friday evening.

Those missing have been identified as Shellon Williamson, 27, a mother of three of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam and Richard John, 39, of Edinburg, New Amsterdam.

The incident occurred at around 20:45 hours east of the Canje Creek, a short distance away from the Canje Bridge and the duo reportedly became trapped under the tug after water began to enter.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday, Christina John, the sister of Richard, recalled her son telling her that “uncle and he gurl dead in a boat” as a result, she hurriedly went out and had two boats searching the area for them but to no avail. Williamson and John are a couple.

“Till around 01:00 hours, I left and went home and this morning I come back around 05:30 hours and when I reached here I didn’t see the speedboat or anybody. They bring up the boat and dem ain’t find nothing,” she explained.

Meanwhile, survivor of the ordeal, Captain Dennis John, who is also the brother of Richard, recalled he was cooking when Williamson went underneath the bow of the boat. He noted shortly after she began shouting there was a hole and water was coming into the vessel.

He added that he went to check on her and noticed that the water was already knee-height and his brother attempted to bail the water out but the current was a challenge and the tug leaned to the side and subsequently turned over.

John recalled that despite the heavy current, he fought his way to top. His brother was behind him but when he managed to get out from under the tug, his brother was nowhere in sight.

He went back in an attempt to save his bother and Williamson but he was unsuccessful.

Police were at the scene earlier on Saturday where they managed to pull the sunken tug but the bodies of duo were nowhere in sight.

Another brother on the vessel identified as Keon John managed to climb his way to the top of the tug after it capsized.