Excavator operator drowns in Puruni

The body of 18-year-old excavator operator, Hassani David was found yesterday after he reportedly drowned on Saturday night when the boat he was travelling in capsized.

Natasha David, the teen’s mother, said that Claremont David, the teen’s father travelled to the Puruni, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Region Seven yesterday morning immediately after his son’s employer called around 8:00am to inform the family that their son had drowned.

She said however, she was made to understand that her son drowned on Saturday night, she said he was travelling in the boat with several other persons but he was the only one to drown when the boat capsized.

Hassani David
Hassani David

She also told this newspaper that David could not swim and she was never too keen on him working in the interior while adding that last December was the first time he had travelled to the interior. David left  Georgetown for the interior to operate an excavator owned by a man who is well-known to the family.

David’s mother said that her son was determined to work in the interior and operate an excavator although she would constantly warn him to work in Georgetown.

Near tears, the woman added that she made arrangements for her son to work in various jobs in the city after he graduated from the Campbellville Secondary School last year but he refused to take any of the jobs.

She said that at one point, David was interested in joining the police force but later changed his mind after he decided that he wanted to earn a lot more.

She described her son as a hardworking, determined and willing person. She said he hoped to purchase a car and a house when he came from the interior in April.

He is survived by his siblings, parents and other relatives.