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Soldier who drowned while training was epileptic – relatives
Relatives of drowned Guyana Defence Force Lance Corporal Darrel Prince say that he suffered epileptic seizures and should not have been allowed to participate in the course in which he met his demise last month.
There have been conflicting reports on how the 32- year-old ended up drowning on October 18, last, at the Colonel Robert Mitchell Jungle and Amphibious Training School, (CRMJATS) located at Makouria, Essequibo. He was participating in the army’s Junior Leader’s Course.
The Army has stated that a Board of Inquiry has been set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding Prince’s death. He was laid to rest last Wednesday at Number 53 Village, Corentyne. Relatives said that several army ranks attended, and Chief of Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips and another senior officer paid tributes.
A female relative told Kaieteur News that Brigadier Phillips pledged that more stringent safety measures would be enforced at the training school. She said that the Chief of Staff has also offered to meet with Prince’s mother, who flew in from overseas for his funeral.
According to the relative, Lane Corporal Prince had spent some 14 years in the army and was participating in the course to gain promotion.
The relative said that a senior officer said that Prince had asked to take part in the course. Kaieteur News was told that the army was aware of Prince’s medical condition and supplied his medication. However, it was reported that the rank had not experienced any recent seizures.
Prince is survived by his mother, foster father and six siblings.
It was just last year that another rank died by drowning at the same training base.
On April, 21, 2013, army medic Kevin Calder, 28, died while swimming with another soldier in the Essequibo River.
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