Body of missing coastguardsman recovered

The body of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) coastguardsman Darwin Simon, who went missing on Sunday after he reportedly fell into the Pomeroon River, was recovered yesterday.

Simon’s mother Diana Mitchell stated she did not know where exactly her son’s body was found but she would be meeting with officials today to discuss the situation. The woman stated that after officials from the army informed her that they found his body, she went to the Lyken’s Funeral Home, where she positively identified him.

A post-mortem examination will be done today to determine the cause of Simon’s death, which is suspected to be drowning.

Darwin Simon

Ordinary Rating Simon, 22, of Lot 47, Norton Street, Werk-en-Rust, fell overboard at the Coastguard’s floating base in the Pomeroon River, where he was stationed, the GDF had said on Monday.

Simon and two other ranks had just finished mooring their boat alongside the floating base at midnight on Sunday when it is reported he fell into the river, according to the army. Efforts by the ranks to save him were unsuccessful.

Mitchell, however, was sceptical of the account given of her son’s disappearance, saying she found it hard to believe that he just fell overboard. A Board of Inquiry was established to investigate the matter, the GDF had stated.