Five rescued from sinking cargo vessel

Four of the five men who were rescued from the sinking vessel (Photo: GDF/April 11, 2024)

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard rescued five men from a sinking cargo vessel 5.2 nautical miles off Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) on Thursday.

In a statement, the GDF said that vessel AMAYA, laden with a cargo of cement and stone, encountered distress when it began taking in water around 04:00h on Thursday.

Reports indicate that the vessel began taking water after it had been grounded on a sandbank since approximately 22:30h the previous day.

While awaiting the opportune moment of high tide to facilitate departure from the sandbank, the crew faced an unexpected turn of events as rough water conditions caused the vessel to rapidly accumulate water.

This prompted the men to seek assistance urgently. The Coast Guard responded, and upon arrival, it was observed that the vessel was sinking.

Following the rescue operation, all five crew members were safely extracted and transported to the Coast Guard’s Headquarters.

“The Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard is pleased with the success of this operation and remains poised and prepared to respond promptly to any maritime incidents or emergencies,” the missive concluded.