Two families are clinging to hope and pleading for answers as 11-year-old Ronaldo Poon and 17-year-old Chris Rodrigues remain missing following the MV Barima tragedy on Saturday.
The boys were reportedly among those aboard the vessel when it sank during its journey to Port Kaituma, turning what was supposed to be a family trip into a nightmare.
Ronaldo’s mother, Louvicia Poon, said her son was travelling with her brother to spend the holiday with his grandmother when she received the devastating news.
“I sent my son on a ferry with my brother… and he was going to spend the holiday with his grandmother,” the grieving mother said.
She said she never expected the trip to end in tragedy.
“I didn’t expect this would happen, but I did get the phone call that my son, that the boat sank,” Poon said.
The mother said she has not received word on her son or her brother since the incident.
“I didn’t get my son, nor my brother. I didn’t know, I didn’t get my children,” she said.
Meanwhile, Joy Atkinson, the aunt of 17-year-old Chris Rodrigues, said the teenager had travelled to Georgetown on Friday to purchase personal items before plans were made for the trip to Port Kaituma.
According to Atkinson, Chris later went to his sister’s home, where his nephew asked to travel to Port Kaituma to spend time with his grandmother.
“His nephew asked his mom to go to Port Kaituma, you know, to spend some quality time with his grandmother in Port Kaituma,” Atkinson recalled.
She said the ticket was booked on Saturday, and they travelled by boat.
“So they booked the ticket on Saturday and then travelled on the boat. While travelling now, the boat sank,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson said the family remains in anguish, with no confirmation on whether Chris is alive.
“Nobody didn’t give a call. Nobody don’t know if he’s alive or he has not been found as yet,” she said.
The MV Barima tragedy has left families across several communities waiting in fear, grief and uncertainty as search and recovery efforts continue.
