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Boat capsizes, woman feared dead

Jan 11, 2011 News

A family outing in the Essequibo River ended tragically on Sunday with the disappearance of 22-year-old Michelle Benjamin, who is feared dead. Benjamin, who was among a group of 10 persons travelling in a boat, disappeared off the coast of Parika, on Sunday afternoon, during a rescue operation to bring them ashore, after their vessel began taking in water near an area called Aliki in the Essequibo River.
Up to yesterday, her body had not been recovered.
Reports reaching this newspaper stated that the group of friends and family members had journeyed to picturesque Bird Island in the Essequibo River and were returning to Parika when the mishap occurred.
This newspaper was told that in the vicinity of Aliki, the boat transporting Benjamin and nine other persons along with the captain began taking in water. There is a huge whole at the bottom of the boat, which suggests that it had struck a heavy object in the river.
Eyewitnesses said that the occupants of another boat, which was travelling a short distance away, observed the panic among the passengers of the ill-fated vessel and went to their assistance. The passengers were hauled to safety in the other boat as their vessel eventually capsized.
But when a check was carried out, Benjamin was discovered missing and she is feared drowned.
The rescued passengers were taken to Parika where the incident was reported.
A search was launched and while the ill-fated vessel was brought ashore, Benjamin’s body remained missing.
The missing woman’s mother declined to comment on the incident claiming that her daughter was a very quiet and private person when she was alive and she would like it to remain that way even in her death.
The woman explained that as soon as her daughter’s body is recovered, she will give her a swift burial since she would not want to delay the process.
She said that she does not want to read about what happened to her daughter and would not like a constant reminder of how her daughter met her death.
One of the traumatised survivors was also reluctant to give details of what happened when contacted by this newspaper.
“Honestly, I can’t recall anything…All I could remember was being pulled into another boat,” the survivor told Kaieteur News.

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