Georgetown: An early Sunday morning trip for two vendors turned tragic when the Canter truck in which they were travelling plunged off the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), resulting in the death of the mother of one.
Dead is Gangaday Persaud, 22, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. Her husband, known as “Rio” survived and was taken into Police custody to assist with investigations.
According to reports, the couple were travelling on the Harbour Bridge in the retractor span area (where there are no rails) at about 05:00h when the husband noticed a bag of boulangers (eggplant) had fallen off the tray. Reports are that the man attempted to turn around the Canter to retrieve the sack when he lost control. This resulted in it toppling over the bridge and into the Demerara River.
Eyewitnesses said the bridge was wet and as such when the driver lost control the truck skidded and ended in the river.
It must be noted that U-turns, overtaking and reversing are prohibited on the DHB. Both man and wife went overboard with the Canter. However, the husband managed to free himself before the truck went too deep underwater, but his wife got pinned down under the vehicle.
The couple was transporting goods and vegetables to Georgetown and Plaisance, where they normally conducted business at the markets.
A relative told this newspaper that she received a call from another relative informing them of the accident.
“I got a call from my cousin and he told me about the accident. I don’t know much of what happened. Just that he fell over in the river and that the truck fell from her side, so he managed to climb out but he couldn’t save her because she went under the truck,” the relative stated.
At the scene of the accident, family members were in utter shock. The mother of the deceased was crying uncontrollably and had to be taken away because she was fainting frequently.
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