Investigators in Regions 6 and 10 are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of a Sandhill, Berbice River man whose lifeless body was pulled from the Berbice River on Monday. Dead is 49 year old James Bender.
According to the Deputy Rawle Walker Toshao of Kimbia located up the Berbice river said that on Saturday at about 1:00 he received information about the incident. He said he was told that the deceased was in a 15 horse power outboard engine boat with another male traveling on the river. 
Walker disclosed that at the time, it the deceased who was captaining the vessel and it is believed that Bender was highly intoxicated. Walker said that based on what he heard, appeals were made to Bender to allow someone else to captain the boat, the Bender refused, “He didn’t want the other occupant to drive because he told the guy that he don’t allow anybody else to drive his engine so they END up driving and crash into a wharf and James end up fall out the boat,” Walker added.
He would later lose control of the vessel and crashed into a stelling in the area. His his body could not be found following the accident. Walker disclosed that it was raining at the time of the incident while the area was experiencing high tide. When Bender’s body was eventually found it was taken to the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital for a post mortem.
Investigations are ongoing.