Father and son missing after boat capsizes during hunting trip in Berbice River

Tragedy unfolded on Friday afternoon when a boat with four men capsized during a hunting trip.

Reports are that around 8:30 hrs, Rajindra Singh and his son Detesh Singh, Mahatma Dhanraj (known as “Romeo”), a 37-year-old cane harvester from Number 4 Settlement, West Bank Berbice, and Sijoo Persaud (known as “Popo”), a 48-year-old cane harvester from Lot 14, embarked from the No. 4 Blairmont West Bank Berbice sluice in a 15-foot wooden boat powered by a 15 hp Marine outboard engine, captained by Persaud.

According to reports, the men were in the Berbice River area hunting iguanas while consuming alcohol, specifically red wine.

Reports indicate that around 13:30 hrs, as they were returning home, a heavy wave struck the boat near the Bermine area, causing water to flood it. Detesh Singh jumped overboard in response, which led to the boat capsizing.

Both Rajindra and Detesh Singh, father and son, went overboard. Persaud, Dhanraj, and Mark managed to swim to the Region 5 foreshore. Following the incident, Mahatma Dhanraj and Sijoo Persaud promptly filed a missing person report at the Blairmont Police Station.

A team of policemen and members of the Coast Guard quickly responded, visiting the scene and recovering the boat, which is now secured at the Coast Guard base.

Although extensive searches were conducted for the two missing individuals, they were not located.

Sirjoo Persaud and Mahatma Dhanraj remain in police custody at the Blairmont Police Station, actively assisting in an ongoing investigation.