Woman, grandson drown in Pomeroon River after balahoo driven by drunken man capsizes

Last Updated on Monday, 28 December 2020, 0:18 by Writer

A 38-year-old woman and her two-year-old grandson of Friendship Canal Lower, Pomeroon River drowned late Friday night as they were heading home in a wooden balahoo fitted with a 75 Horse Power (HP) engine and driven by her drunken husband, police said.

The boat was driven by her husband, 42-year-old Riley Gill.

Police said that between 11:30 PM Friday and midnight at Friendship Canal Lower Pomeroon River. Investigators were told that the woman left home at about 8 pm Friday to drink rum with several friends at Burn Bush, Lower Pomeroon in the company of her husband and grandson.

“Whilst returning home the deceased husband, who was highly intoxicated, stated that as he entered the Friendship Canal a coconut husk hit the engine propeller and he lost control of the handle of the engine which caused the boat to hit the edge of the left bank of the river and the boat capsized,” police said.

Investigators were informed that his wife and grandson were trapped beneath, but he failed in his effort pull them out from underneath the boat.  The man said several persons responded to his call for help and his wife and grandchild were pulled out from underneath the vessel in an unconscious state.

They were pronounced  dead on arrival at the Oscar Joseph District Hospital. Police said no marks of violence were seen on their bodies nor no foul play suspected. Autopsies are to be conduced to officially determine the cause of death.