Engineer drowns after apparently falling overboard

A 34-year-old engineer reportedly drowned after he fell overboard between Monday morning and Tuesday from a boat at JSB Investment Stone yard and wharf located at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara and his body was yesterday found in the Demerara River.

Dead is Neil Sookram, a resident of Lot 18 Caines Street, Meadow Bank, Georgetown.

Reports are that the incident took place sometime between Monday and Tuesday while the ‘Christopher B’ boat which Sookram was working on was docked at the wharf located at Block ‘R’, Soesdyke Public Road, EBD.

Stabroek News was told that Sookram was last seen alive by his colleagues around 00.30hrs Monday just after he had entered the boat.

At the time, he was reportedly intoxicated.

One of his colleagues reportedly related to the police that Sookram requested that they go for a few beers but he refused after which Sookram left the cabin.

He was not seen after.

A police source confirmed with Stabroek News that the body of Sookram was discovered around midday yesterday in the Demerara River.

The body was positively identified by his 53-year-old aunt, a shopkeeper of Caines Street, Meadow Bank.

It was examined by there was no visible marks of violence, the source said.

The body is currently at the Lyken’s funeral home awaiting an autopsy.