Fourth body from Cuyuni boat tragedy recovered

The body of Shawn Robinson was recovered yesterday near the Matouk Falls Rapids where the boat that he and six other passengers were travelling in capsized while en route to Bartica last Saturday.

Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford told Stabroek News last evening that Robinson’s  body was recovered at about 3pm yesterday. “The final body was recovered yesterday at about 3pm and since the body is in an advanced state of decomposition …we will have to bury the body as close as possible to the area”, he said.

Junior Bandhu
Junior Bandhu
Clive Welcome
Clive Welcome

Robinson’s father had travelled to the area and expressed satisfaction that the body was recovered.
The boat, Black Angel, had capsized after both of the engines failed and three persons—the boat captain, Junior Lyte, 19, of Batavia, Cuyuni and two passengers David Prass, 26, of New Amsterdam and Morris Hopkinson of Second Avenue, Bartica—managed to make it to shore.

The bodies of two men, William Patoir, of New Amsterdam, Berbice and Junior Bandhu, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, were recovered on Sunday in the Matouk Falls, Cuyuni area, while the body of Clive Welcome, 18, of Bartica was recovered on Monday.

Several relatives of the deceased men have been questioning whether Lyte was qualified and had a licence to operate the vessel. Meantime, when questioned on the reports of Lyte’s qualification, Bradford said that he was not aware of this but pointed out that boat captains navigating the Essequibo, Cuyuni, and Mazaruni rivers have to be very skilful and know the area, given the nature of the rivers which have many rapids.

Bradford had also said that Lyte was in police custody after the incident, but has since been released on bail.
Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford told Stabroek News last evening that Robinson’s  body was recovered at about 3pm yesterday. “The final body was recovered yesterday at about 3pm and since the body is in an advanced state of decomposition …we will have to bury the body as close as possible to the area”, he said.
Robinson’s father had travelled to the area and expressed satisfaction that the body was recovered.
The boat, Black Angel, had capsized after both of the engines failed and three persons—the boat captain, Junior Lyte, 19, of Batavia, Cuyuni and two passengers David Prass, 26, of New Amsterdam and Morris Hopkinson of Second Avenue, Bartica—managed to make it to shore.
The bodies of two men, William Patoir, of New Amsterdam, Berbice and Junior Bandhu, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, were recovered on Sunday in the Matouk Falls, Cuyuni area, while the body of Clive Welcome, 18, of Bartica was recovered on Monday.
Several relatives of the deceased men have been questioning whether Lyte was qualified and had a licence to operate the vessel. Meantime, when questioned on the reports of Lyte’s qualification, Bradford said that he was not aware of this but pointed out that boat captains navigating the Essequibo, Cuyuni, and Mazaruni rivers have to be very skilful and know the area, given the nature of the rivers which have many rapids.
Bradford had also said that Lyte was in police custody after the incident, but has since been released on bail.