One body found in ‘backtrack’ route tragedy

The body of Alwin Joseph – one of the three persons who went missing after being dropped off in “waist-deep”, water on Tuesday night in the Corentyne River – was discovered early Wednesday morning in the vicinity of Number 60 foreshore (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The discovery was made at around 06:25h by relatives who were part of a continued search party; the relatives later contacted the police.

Joseph’s cousin, Narinee Shamsundar, was in tears as she confirmed the news.

“They find he and them Police carry he mortuary already,” Shamsundar told the News Room through tears.

She said he was clad in a camouflage vest and purple trucks; the body was positively identified by Shamsundar’s husband and sons. Joseph was a Guyanese national who resided in Suriname for some 20 years; he leaves to mourn his wife and a child.

Meanwhile, the search continues for 77-year-old Balboni Harihar and 48-year-old Sharida Hussein. They too were also dropped off on the sandbank; the trio was on their way back to Guyana from Suriname via the backtrack route in a speed boat when they informed relatives that they were dropped off in waist-deep water in the dark on Tuesday night. They have not been heard from or seen since.

The families of the women are desperately searching for them.