— GDF deploys aerial, maritime assets as three female passengers assist mother in labour

A BABY boy was safely delivered aboard the MV Malisha in the early hours of Saturday after three female passengers and crew members sprang into action to assist an expectant mother while the vessel was navigating open waters off Guyana’s northwestern coastline.
The emergency also prompted a response from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), which deployed aerial and maritime assets after receiving a distress alert from the vessel near Waini Point, Region One (Barima-Waini).
According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Works, the incident unfolded at approximately 01:10 hrs when Pauline Cirus, a passenger of Amerindian descent, began experiencing abdominal pain and contractions.
At the time, the MV Malisha was approximately 22.22 nautical miles off Shell Beach.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, the vessel’s captain immediately issued a distress signal requesting assistance from the Guyana Coast Guard.
The ministry clarified that the distress call was strictly for medical assistance and was not related to any mechanical failure, malfunction or emergency involving the vessel itself.
As the situation unfolded, three female passengers, Daphne Williams, Martina Valenzuela and Lorna Joseph Beharry, stepped forward to assist the expectant mother.
With their support and assistance from the crew, Cirus safely delivered a baby boy at approximately 01:51 hrs, just 41 minutes after she began experiencing contractions.
In a separate statement issued on Saturday, the GDF confirmed that it had responded to the distress alert by deploying aerial and maritime resources to assist the vessel.
According to the GDF, Coast Guard personnel subsequently established contact with the captain and learnt that a passenger had gone into active labour and required urgent medical attention.
The captain requested assistance in transporting the passenger to a medical facility.
A Coast Guard team, under the command of Petty Officer Wendell Walcott, arrived to assist at approximately 06:20 hrs.
To ensure the safety of those involved, the transfer operation was conducted approximately 3.8 nautical miles off the Waini Inner Beacon, where relatively calmer waters provided more favourable conditions.
Cirus, her newborn son and two accompanying passengers, Williams and Beharry, were safely transferred from the MV Malisha to a GDF vessel.
The GDF explained that its vessel subsequently proceeded to Kumaka, where an ambulance received the group for onward transportation to the Mabaruma Hospital, the regional hospital serving Region One.
The mother and newborn were subsequently taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Following the successful operation, the MV Malisha resumed its journey to Kumaka, arriving safely at approximately 09:30 hrs.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, extended congratulations and commendations to the captain and crew of the vessel, the Coast Guard team and the three passengers whose quick thinking and selfless actions helped ensure the safe delivery of the newborn.
The minister particularly praised Williams, Valenzuela and Beharry for their courage, resourcefulness and willingness to assist a fellow passenger during a critical moment.
He also commended Petty Officer Walcott and his team for their response to the emergency.
The Ministry of Public Works hailed the collective efforts of those involved, highlighting the importance of compassion, teamwork and preparedness in responding to emergencies at sea.