Guyana Defence Force (GDF) coastguardsman Darwin Simon was drunk when he drowned in the Pomeroon River, a post-mortem examination done on his remains yesterday revealed.
His mother, Diana Mitchell, who witnessed the examination, said that he Simon was drunk at the time of his death and alcohol was found in his system.
The woman said that she learnt that her son’s hat fell into the river and he jumped in after it.
His body was recovered 50 metres from the Floating Base and flown to Georgetown, the GDF said in a press release yesterday.
As investigations continue, closed circuit television footage from the Floating Base shown to Simon’s family revealed that around midnight on Sunday, a boat with some ranks was returning to the base. While he was disembarking from the vessel, Simon’s head dress fell into the river. He then went into a nearby boat, took off his boots, took something out of his pocket and plunged into the river to retrieve his head dress, the GDF said.
Simon encountered difficulties and another rank plunged into the river in an effort to offer assistance to him but he slipped under the water before the rank reached him.
Mitchell said, “like the current pulled him away after he jumped because he tried to swim back but could not make it.” She also added that she smelled alcohol on her son’s body when it was being examined so she now believes that he died as a result of drowning and was not murdered.
Mitchell also said that she now feels as if she has gotten closure as she knows what took place. The GDF will be covering all expenses for the young soldier’s funeral and his mother noted that she is thankful for this.
Ordinary Rating Simon, 22, of Lot 47, Norton Street, Werk-en-Rust will be buried on Monday in full military style.
