Commander for Regional Division #7, Dion Moore has confirmed reports of a ‘river mishap’
which occurred on Saturday at about 17:00hrs at Gatie Falls, Semang Creek, Middle Mazaruni River.
Moore said the mishap has resulted in the disappearance of a male miner whose identity is so far unknown.
Police said at about 08:30hrs, Garfield Benn, a 41-year-old boat captain of Tassarene Village, Issano boarded his boat along with five occupants.
Two of them were identified as 43-year-old Griffith Joseph Fredericks and 47-year-old Kenneth Tancredo, both of Seventh Field, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.
The three other persons’ identities are yet to be ascertained. They departed Long Island, Middle Mazaruni River en route to Semang Creek.
However, they stopped at Semang Landing and later continued their journey, and sometime thereafter, the boat captain experienced a problem with his leg and reportedly gave one of the occupants control of the engine.
Whilst navigating the boat in the vicinity of Gatie Falls, Semang Creek the said boat engine collided with a rock.
The occupants were flung overboard after which everyone with the exception of one person surfaced and were able to swim to shore.
A search party was formed and is currently making checks for the missing person.
