The passenger boat Kaberali, which had arrived in Nickerie on Wednesday morning, has reportedly sunk. District Commissioner Josta Lewis explained that, fortunately, there was no cargo on board and the passengers had already disembarked.
The Kaberali left Apoera on Tuesday night and arrived in Southdrain on Wednesday morning. After the passengers disembarked, the captain went to Nieuw Nickerie to buy new supplies. The crew failed to properly monitor the boat, and when the tide began to rise, water started flowing into the boat, causing it to slowly sink. By the time the crew realized what was happening, they were able to unload the cargo that was still on board.
DC Lewis deemed it regrettable that the boat sank due to the negligence of the crew. The Kaberali had been used to transport passengers and groceries and was scheduled to carry food parcels for those who had been on the Blueboot when it sank. Officials are currently working on a plan to recover the Kaberali from the water.
Earlier in November, the Blueboot sank near the mouth of the Nickerie River. There were 30 adults and 3 babies aboard when it started sinking, but authorities were able to rescue all passengers.