A devastating river accident along the Corentyne River has claimed the life of a respected Orealla boat captain and left a pregnant nurse hospitalized after she lost her unborn child in the mishap.
The deceased has been identified as 65-year-old Glen DeVair, also known as “Shiko,†a former Toshao of Orealla Village and the captain of the Orealla/Siparuta River Ambulance. The injured survivor is 29-year-old Shunika Williams, a nurse at the Orealla Health Centre, who was three months pregnant at the time of the incident. Williams is currently receiving treatment at the New Amsterdam Hospital, where her condition is reported as stable, though she tragically lost her baby due to the ordeal.
The incident occurred early Saturday morning, between 5:00 and 6:30 a.m., approximately ten minutes from Orealla at Globe Tex. DeVair and Williams were returning to the village after escorting a patient to the Skeldon Hospital in Corriverton, Berbice. The river ambulance reportedly crashed into a tree while navigating the Corentyne River, which forms the border between Guyana and Suriname.
When the vessel failed to return, a search party was dispatched and eventually found the boat wedged among trees on the Guyana side of the river. DeVair was discovered lying on the floor at the back of the boat, having suffered burns from gasoline that had leaked onto the floor. Williams was found unconscious and was quickly transported to the Skeldon Hospital before being transferred to New Amsterdam for further care.
Preliminary reports suggest that DeVair, who had reportedly been unwell and medicated in the days leading up to the incident, was called upon late Friday night to operate the river ambulance because the assistant captain was allegedly unfit for duty. Despite feeling dizzy and initially declining, DeVair agreed to make the trip due to the emergency.
Local authorities, including the police, are continuing their investigation into the circumstances of the accident. The Orealla community is mourning the loss of a dedicated public servant, while rallying around the injured nurse and her family as they recover from this tragedy.
