Latest update April 1st, 2025 5:37 PM
Boat explosion captain reportedly ‘alive and well’ in Venezuela – body of elderly passenger identified
The captain who was manning the vessel on which a deadly explosion occurred three Sundays ago is said to be alive.
Kaieteur News understands that the individual, known only as ‘Sakie,’ resides in Venezuela and individuals who know him said they have seen him “alive and well” in the neighbouring territory.
It is unlikely that police will get to question him once he remains there.
Police had reported the captain to be among those missing following the explosion, which occurred on Sunday, March 10, in the Barima/Waini area.
An earlier photograph of Phyllis Archer and her husband, Carl Archer
Those confirmed dead are Antonio Wells, a Venezuelan, whose body was recovered at Shell Beach several hours after the mishap, and Carl Archer, an elderly and blind man who was travelling with his wife, 73-year-old Phyllis Archer. Mr. Archer’s body was found at Shell Beach.
Police had buried the remains. However, a police official said that the body was exhumed last Friday and relatives stated that the victim was Mr. Archer.
A postmortem confirmed that he had died from drowning. His wife, Phyllis Archer, remains hospitalised with burns.
It remains unclear if any more passengers might have perished, since several Venezuelans who were rescued may have returned to their homeland.
The explosion occurred around 08:00 hrs on Sunday, March 10, shortly after the vessel, which had ferried some 24 passengers from Venezuela, and arrived at Barima/Waini, Region One.
The vessel had left San Felix, Puerto Ordaz located near the Venezuela border, around 11:00 hrs on Saturday, March 9.
It left for Charity via the Barima River around 04:00 hrs the following day.
Phyllis Archer and her husband were sitting in the back seat when she heard an explosion.
The boat immediately burst into flames and she saw passengers jumping overboard. The elderly woman remained in the boat as it began to sink and suffered burns to her body. She was rescued but there was no sign of her husband.
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