TWO Brazilians are reported missing following a river mishap that occurred around 07:00hrs on Sunday along the Mazaruni River, in the vicinity of ‘Looking Glass Falls’

The only names given for the two missing Brazilian nationals are ‘Japow’ and ‘Bartolomeu’.

Reports are that around 16:20hrs, on Sunday December 11, 27-year-old Assardo Adrian Savory, a boat captain of Lot 31 Five Miles Bartica, went to the Bartica Police Station in the company of 52-year-old Juarez De Morais, a Brazilian businessman of Providence, East Bank Demerara; 61-year-old Carlos Santos of Regent Street, Georgetown; and 21-year-old Dillon Perreira of Parika Village, East Bank Demerara.

Savory told Police that he was the captain of a boat that left Bartica Stelling, Essequibo River, on Sunday morning and was en route to Poppy Show, Mazaruni River.

Savory said that with him in the boat at the time were Juarez De Morais, Carlos Santos, Dillon Perreira and the now missing Brazilians — ‘Japow’ and ‘Bartolomeu’.

He stated that whilst navigating the river in the vicinity of the Looking Glass Falls, the boat came in contact with a strong wave which caused the boat’s bow to break off. As a result, all the occupants were tossed overboard. After being flung overboard, ‘Japow’ and ‘Bartolomeu’ were not seen again.

The captain further told the police that he, Dillon Perreira, Juarez De Morais, and Carlos Santos swam to safety and were rescued some two hours later by a passing boat.

Efforts were made to locate the missing men, but such had proven futile. The survivors received bodily injuries and were escorted to the Bartica Regional Hospital where they were all seen, examined, and later sent away.

The boat captain is presently in custody at the Bartica Police Station, assisting with investigations.