Authorities are investigating the suspected drowning of Lance Corporal Jermaine Batson following a boating mishap on the Puruni River, a tributary of the Mazaruni River, on Sunday, 18 February 2025. The incident also involved Constable Quincy Marks and Ransdale Melville, a 30-year-old boat captain from Third Avenue, Bartica.
Preliminary reports indicate that the three individuals departed Puruni Landing at approximately 09:00 hrs on a routine patrol. They were aboard a wooden boat measuring twelve feet in length and three feet in width, powered by a 40-horsepower Yamaha engine.
Constable Marks was seated in the middle of the boat, unarmed but dressed in full uniform. Batson, also positioned in the middle, was armed with a Taurus pistol containing 15 matching rounds. Melville was stationed at the rear, operating the vessel.
At around 11:45 hrs, while navigating upstream, the boat’s engine failed, causing water to enter the vessel and leading to a partial submersion. As the boat took on water, Batson jumped into the river. Meanwhile, the vessel drifted downstream, prompting Constable Marks and Melville to leap onto a nearby rock to prevent it from being carried away by the current. They managed to secure the boat by tying it to a branch.
According to Constable Marks, Batson was seen holding onto a branch on the opposite side of the river. They exchanged a brief conversation in which Batson confirmed that he was unharmed and inquired about the safety of his colleagues, to which Marks assured him they were fine.
However, while Marks and Melville were engaged in bailing out water and attempting to restart the engine, Batson disappeared from view. After conducting a brief search without success, Marks and Melville restarted the boat and continued searching for Batson. When their efforts yielded no results, they proceeded on foot to a nearby camp to access Wi-Fi and report the incident. Following their report, they returned to the river to resume search operations.
Upon receiving the distress call, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Chaitram, Detective Sergeant (D/Sgt) Jonas, and Constable Watts were dispatched to the scene to investigate the matter. The search for L/Cpl Batson remains ongoing, and further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
The post Lance Corporal Feared Drowned in Puruni River Incident appeared first on News Room Guyana.
