Survivors of the capsized MV Barima vessel are thankful for a second chance at life, though many of them are devastated over missing relatives who are yet to be located followed the Saturday night tragedy. One such person is Nathaniel Matabheek, who recalls the moment the ferry vessel started to tilt to the side, going underwater and capsizing in less than a minute, resulting in his family going missing.

The Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice (WCB), man was at the time travelling with his wife, Rachel Welch, and their three children – eight-year-old Nathaniel Jr, five-year-old Nathalia and three-year-old Ezekiel. Nathaniel’s brother, Adam Matabheek, and his wife, Carlita also called “Rebecca”, were also on the vessel. They were on their way to Smith Creek in the North-West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), to visit Welch’s ailing mother when tragedy struck. An emotional Nathaniel recounted that the boat sank so fast that no one could have done anything. He could not even save his wife and children and they are still missing. “The boat cant over and me get cover up underneath… Me deh fight up fuh get out [under the water] and me nah know how me find one spot fuh come out. And when me come out, me search, search and watch, me nah see them [his wife and kids] back. Me nah know if the boat suck down them or the boat cover them or what. Me na know,” the grieving man recalled. Nathaniel, along with his brother and sister-in-law, managed to survive the ordeal. Though he thought about giving up after being unable to find his family, Nathaniel’s older brother and sister-in-law held onto him and the three managed to stay afloat until help arrived. After being rescued, they were taken to the Charity Hospital on the Essequibo Coast, where they received medical attention and were subsequently relocated to the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI), where a makeshift shelter was set up for survivors and family members, as they eagerly await news of the missing woman and three children.

“Bye-bye grandma. bye-bye grandpa”