Cop drowns, colleagues saved after boat capsizes in river

Dec 15, 2019 News

…group was en-route to drug eradication exercise

An unfortunate mishap in the Berbice River has led to the unexpected death of a Corporal of Police attached at the Central Police Station.

The corporal after he was pulled from the water.

Dead: Corporal Peter Scipio

Ill-fated: The police boat involved in the incident.

Dead is Corporal Peter Scipio, of Angoy’s Avenue, who served as the electriction/technician for the Guyana Police Force (Region Six).
Reports are that the incident took place just around 10:00 am yesterday. Scipio, the captain of the boat and 10 other ranks, joined the vessel to venture up the Berbice River for a drug eradication exercise, however, tragedy struck.
According to reports, the men were making their way in the fairly rough waters when the vessel struck an unidentified object below the waters. The vessel came to an abrupt stop and capsized, throwing the men in the water.
Kaieteur News understands from that point, the ranks managed to overturn the boat and re-enter, however, Captain Scipio was nowhere to be seen.
A police source told this publication that the current pulled Scipio down under. Ranks began to search for their colleague but it was nearly 15 minutes later that his body surfaced. He was pulled from the water but appeared to be dead already.
Meanwhile, relatives of the Corporal were too in shock to speak with the media when they showed up at the Central Police Station.
The Guyana Police Force, meanwhile in a late statement, said it is mourning the death of Special Corporal 11907 Chakumba Scipio, 43, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice who met his demise during a boat mishap in the Berbice River about 09:30hrs.
“Investigation revealed that a team of police ranks under the command of a Chief Inspector and two civilians departed New Amsterdam en route to Sand Hills in a police vessel powered by a 150 hp engine and captained by the now deceased who was a certified coxswain, to investigate several thefts that were reported in the riverine community.”
As the boat was in the vicinity of Bermine, it was reported to have suddenly swayed and Scipio fell overboard and went under the water.
The statement said that despite valiant efforts to rescue him; it proved in vain.
His body was later retrieved by ranks of the Coast Guard and is at the Arokium Funeral Parlour awaiting a post mortem examination.
Scipio who was the Divisional Electrician and Coxswain, joined the Force in 1999. He was the father of three daughters.
His spouse passed away several years ago.
An investigation has since been launched into the matter.

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