Soldiers missing after Cuyuni River mishap

Dec 10, 2008 News

The Guyana Defence Force has launched a search for two army ranks who are missing following a boat mishap in the Cuyuni River last Tuesday night.
One of the missing ranks has been identified as Corporal Wesley Hopkinson, 27, of Victoria, East Coast Demerara.
The other missing rank, whose surname was given as Harris, is said to be from Berbice.
A brief army statement said that several ranks who are stationed at Eteringbang were involved in a boating mishap on the Cuyuni River at around 20:30 hrs last Tuesday.
“Several searches were immediately conducted in the general area of the incident, and so far two soldiers remain missing,” the release said.
“The GDF has since sent a team into the area to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, and a Board of Inquiry has also been launched.”
Meanwhile, the GDF Welfare Department has informed family members of the missing soldiers, while the search for the soldiers continues.
Kaieteur News was told that about four ranks were in the GDF vessel which was involved in the mishap.
Alan Hopkinson, the father of Corporal Wesley Hopkinson, told Kaieteur News that GDF Welfare ranks informed him that four ranks, including his son, were involved in a mishap.
According to Mr. Hopkinson, he was also informed that two of the soldiers made it to shore, but his son and another rank cannot be found.
Mr. Hopkinson said that his son, who joined the army about ten years ago, has been seconded to Eteringbang since October.