Panicked US Tourist had jumped overboard before boat sank

Nov 27, 2022 News

…panicked, jumped overboard before boat Sank

Kaieteur News – American Tourist, Thomas Carstens Jnr has been found in the Rupununi River and according to Police, the man drowned after the boat he was traveling in capsized in the Essequibo River, in the vicinity to Apoteri Village, Region Nine.

Thomas Carstens Jr.

Police said 38-year-old Carstens Jnr panicked and jumped overboard when the boat started taking in water on Tuesday. His body was recovered on Thursday.

The deceased, another American 24-year-old Jered Weiland and six other foreign Tourists had arrived in Apoteri Village on November 18. They traveled via a private chartered aircraft for a seven-day fishing expedition which was hosted by Mark Bolton of Kanuku Lodge Eco Resort.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in Press Release said at about 07:00hrs on November 22, Carstens Jr. and Weiland, along with a 29-year-old Tour Guide, Jim George, who is also a boat Captain from the Apoteri Village departed the resort for the fishing trip.

The Police learnt that at about an hour and half in the river upstream they were going through rapids when the outboard engine encountered a mechanical problem which caused the boat to drift down the rapids.

As a result of this, water entered the vessel causing Carstens Jr. to panic, Police stated. Investigators were told that Carstens Jr. had jumped into the water where he held on to the side of the boat. He then tried to get back into the boat but while doing so the boat became off balance and took in more water.

The area where police discovered the remains of Carstens Jr.

Reports are that Weiland and George then jumped into the river. They managed to swim to an island that was about 7 meters away from where the boat began to take in water. Carstens reportedly went under water and never surfaced.

The trio was expected to return to the Resort around 17:00hrs that day and when they failed to return, a search party went up the river where they found Weiland and George on the island.

The two had reported what transpired and the matter was reported to the Police. A search was conducted for Carstens Jr. the following day but he was not seen.

However, on November 24, around 12:30hrs, Police said the partially decomposed body of the US tourist was found some five kilometers away from where the incident happened. A black camera was strapped to his body which was facing downward in the water.

Police reported that the body was examined and no marks of violence were seen. Carstens Jnr.’s body was taken to the Annai Health Centre where a post mortem will be conducted. Investigations are continuing.

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