“Drunken” Fisherman allegedly drowns in Mahaicony River

Jun 04, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – It is suspected that a “drunken” fisherman on Tuesday fell into the Mahaicony River on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and drowned. He was identified as Andrew Barnwell, 31, of Farm Mahaicony and his floating body was fished out of the river around 15:55hrs on Thursday.

The Mahaicony River where Barnwell’s body was found floating.

According to police he was last seen alive on Tuesday by his 57 year old colleague, of East Canje Berbice, Region Six.
That colleague told police that he and Barnwell had been drinking together. Around 19:00hrs, they finished the drinking session and went to sleep in their boats.
He claimed that Barnwell was sleeping in a boat moored alongside his. However, around 01:30hrs on Wednesday, he was awakened after his boat started to rock in the water. When he got up, it was untied and drifting away, and according him, he secured it quickly and called out for Barnwell but got no response.
The colleague related to the cops that he thought, Barnwell might have untied the boat and headed home so he went back to sleep.
Later that day, he visited Barnwell’s home and asked his wife if he was there but she had not seen or heard from him too. Realizing that something was amiss he made his way to the Mahaicony Police Station and made a report.
People began looking for Barnwell and on Thursday afternoon a group of fishermen spotted his body floating in the river.
Police were alerted and his remains were fished out and examined by detectives. They reportedly observed that his body bore no marks of violence and believe that he might have fallen over board and drowned.