Wismar man dies after boat capsizes in Kaburi River

A father of four died on Saturday after a boat he was travelling in capsized in the Kaburi River, Mazaruni.

The dead man has been identified as Orson Gishard, 35, of Lot 12 Waterlilly Road, Wismar, Linden.

Police Commander Ravendradat Budhram of ‘F’ division told Stabroek News that Gishard and three others were travelling when they encountered rough waters in the Kaburi River, Cuyuni/Mazaruni and the boat capsized.

He said that the dead man’s colleagues managed to swim to higher ground until they were rescued but were unable to save Gishard as the water “was pulling.”

Dead: Orson Gishard

Gishard’s lifeless body was lifted out of the river late Saturday afternoon and was brought to Georgetown yesterday. The body is currently at  Lyken’s Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination.

LaToya Gishard, a sister of the deceased, yesterday told Stabroek News that the family is still puzzled at the mishap. She explained that around 11 am on Saturday, management of the Ingrid and Brian Chase Mining and Trucking Service contacted their family and informed them of the capsizing.

LaToya said at no point did the company explain where her brother and his colleagues were travelling to or coming from. She said her brother worked at Issano, Mazaruni.

She went on to say that around 6 pm on  Saturday they received another call informing the family that Orson’s lifeless body had been found.

This newspaper was told that the man only began working at the company a month ago.

Budhram said that on Friday last another boat capsized in the Cuyuni River but no one died.