Bodies of children, aged 1 and 5, recovered after boat capsizes in Pomeroon River

The bodies of two children, aged 1 and 5, were on Tuesday morning recovered from the Pomeroon River after the boat they were travelling in capsized Monday night, Region Two Police Commander Khemraj Shivbaran has confirmed.

Dead are Reshanna Atkinson, 5, and Josiah Atkinson, 1. They were both asleep when the boat capsized.

The accident occurred at around 20:30 hrs in the vicinity of St. Monica.

Reports are that Mr Bhinauth Atkinson, 33 and his wife, Mrs Novita Atkinson, 23, were traveling home in the boat, powered by a 75hp Yamaha outboard engine, when it collided with a floating object.

Reports are that neither parents nor children were wearing life jackets and a cell phone flashlight was being used to gain vision.

Mr Atkinson and his wife managed to swim to shore and reported the incident to the Toshao of St Monica, Eve Samuels.

As a result, a search party was activated and search was conducted for the children. Their bodies were recovered at around 02:30 hrs on Monday.