A 49-year-old man is missing and feared dead after the balahoo in which he was traveling collided with an unlit fishing vessel at around 21:50 hrs on Saturday in the Lower Pomeroon River.
Roberts’ body being transported to the Bartica mortuary
The missing man was identified as Patrick Kellowan, and is said to be a senior official from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.
According to a statement from the local Maritime Administration (Marad) passengers Elroy Gill, 22, Marlon Chappelle, 66, and Patrick Kellowan 49, left a cricket match under the influence of alcohol and boarded “a balahoo.”
While proceeding up the river, the balahoo collided with a fishing vessel which had no lights. The collision caused Kellowan to be tossed in the river, where he immediately sank.
A search for Kellowan’s body is continuing and police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Kaieteur News understands that none of the passengers in the balahoo was wearing lifejackets.
Meanwhile, a 37 year old gold miner was killed yesterday after colliding with a truck on the Karrau Trail, four miles opposite the Bartica/Potaro district.
Albert Roberts, who is said to be the General Manager of a mining operation, was riding an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and heading out to the Karrau Landing when he collided a with a “bush truck” after slamming into a tree at a turn on the trail.
The victim, of One Mile Bartica/Potaro Road, was transported to the Bartica Public Hospital at around 4:15pm, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.