District commissioner Lewis: “Boat had too many passengers and cargo”

The “Blue Boat,” which was en route to Apoera on Friday evening, sank due to an excess of passengers and cargo on board. District commissioner (dc) of the Kabalebo district, Josta Lewis, stated that the boat can carry a maximum of one hundred passengers, but that is without any cargo. Last night, the boat had approximately 33 passengers on board, along with a significant amount of cargo, including barrels of fuel, goods for shopkeepers, and personal belongings of the passengers.
“At one point, the boat could no longer proceed. The captain needed to transport fewer passengers. A lot of cargo was lost, but thankfully, no one is missing. I’m relieved that everyone on board was rescued,” said the district commissioner.
Lewis mentioned that the passengers were accommodated in Nickerie at the State Guest House. “Everyone has been rescued. I received notification around eight o’clock Friday evening that the boat’s engine had failed and the waters were turbulent. The captain did his best to control the situation, but it was unsuccessful. When the captain realized he would not make it, he called for help. He also attempted to steer the boat towards the sandbank,” the district commissioner reported.
She further added that some food items belonging to the passengers were also lost. At the end of the month, the individuals had planned to do their shopping in Nickerie. Among the passengers were elderly individuals and retirees. Additionally, many goods belonging to both the shopkeepers and the passengers were lost.
There is now a food shortage because the people had completed their shopping and lost everything due to the boat sinking. “We will look into how we can assist the people. President Chan Santokhi has requested a report to be prepared and sent to him. We will explore how we can support the individuals affected,” she added.

...