POLICE are investigating the death of 28-year-old boat captain, Saigon Hopkinson of Bartica, who was found submerged in a fuel tank on a vessel at the Shurland’s Wharf at Adventure, Region Two, on Monday morning.

It is suspected that he accidentally fell into the tank and later died from suffocation.

His employer, David Wong, told the Chronicle that Hopkinson and two sailors usually worked together aboard the boat, “Oliva”, which transports fuel from Bartica, Region Seven to Adventure, Region Two. The boat arrived at the wharf around 05:00 hrs on Monday.

Wong said he was told that about half an hour after the boat docked, his brother went to check on Hopkinson and the other workers.

“My brother called out to them…there were two other boys on the scene, [they] responded. They started inquiring where the captain was and they started to look for him,” Wong related. Shortly after, Hopkinson’s lifeless body was discovered in the fuel tank.

The businessman said he is clueless as to how the deceased ended up there.

Sharmin DeFreitas, Hopkinson’s motherHe described the deceased as a very dedicated worker and said he was shocked to learn of his sudden death.

Meanwhile, Hopkinson’s mother Sharmin DeFreitas said that her son was the eldest. She said she heard from him on Sunday evening and still cannot come to grips with the entire situation.

The body was removed from the fuel tank and taken to the Suddie Mortuary to await a post-mortem examination.