The Chief Mate of an Aruba-bound cargo ship died on Tuesday evening in what was described as a freak accident while crew members were attempting to dislodge the vessel after it ran aground in the Demerara River, in the vicinity of Supply.
Vibert Fernandes, 60, of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, was killed after being hit by the plank. The body is currently being kept at the Lyken’s Funeral home as police investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to information from the police, a crew member was operating an excavator aboard the vessel when the machine malfunctioned, causing the boom to fall. The boom fell onto a piece of wood,
