A Guyanese crewman is dead and another critical after falling ill on a St Vincent-registered vessel which left Guyana for St Lucia last Thursday.
In a statement, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) said the St Vincent and the Grenadines registered ship – MV LADY ZAI departed Georgetown on Thursday, March 6. On board were 10 Guyanese crew members and a consignment of cargo in bulk, with its destination being the island of St Lucia.
According to MARAD, when the general cargo vessel, which reportedly belongs to KB Enterprise of Guyana, arrived in St Lucia on Sunday, a crew member had already died and another was ill. Prior to the ship’s arrival in St Lucia, the port health officials were informed of the situation, thus the vessel was quarantined.
According to the Health Ministry in St Lucia, the deceased was taken off the vessel and an emergency post-mortem examination was done. St Lucian media quoting officials say the death reportedly occurred Saturday, hours before the cargo ship entered St Lucia’s waters.
The other crew member was simultaneously taken to the St Jude Hospital where he is being treated.
The other members of the ship’s crew were ordered to remain on board where their condition is being monitored, until the exact nature of the illness has been determined.
This is a normal precautionary measure to protect the local population from contracting any communicable disease.
St Lucian health officials say they are working with the St Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority, the police and the St Lucia Fire Service to contain the situation and address the health concerns.
Officials from MARAD in Guyana are in contact with their colleagues in St Lucia on the matter, and similarly are the health officials from the two countries.
