[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 12 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE03779_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 01
GEORGE 03779 191446Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 FBIE-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PA-01
TRSE-00 SCS-06 MCT-02 CA-01 INR-10 INRE-00 SY-05
SYE-00 USSS-00 H-01 AID-05 SS-15 SSO-00 NSCE-00
CCO-00 SVC-00 /062 W
——————092921 191449Z /41
Z 191450Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC FLASH 8066
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE GEORGETOWN 3779
E.O. 11652: NA
TAGS: CASC OREP (RYAN, LEO) GY
SUBJ: CODEL RYAN: SITUATION REPORT AS OF 1100 LOCAL (0900 EST).
REF: GEORGETOWN 3774.
1. Commissioner of Police [Lloyd Barker] now reports that one more death has been confirmed at Port Kaituma. The name of the individual is Patricia Parks who does not figure on any of our lists. Must therefore assume that she may have been one of the Jonestown residents who had elected to leave with Congressman Ryan.
2. The previously unidentified photographer has now been identified as Gregory Robinson of the San Francisco Examiner. Again, the source of this information is the GOG [Government of Guyana] commissioner of police.
3. As yet no GDF [Guyana Defense Force] or police units have been reported as having entered Jonestown itself. We expect this will occur within the next few hours.
4. Medivac C-141 arrived at Timehri airport on schedule limited
OFFICIAL USE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 02
GEORGE 03779 191446Z
at 1005 local (0800 EST). Plane captain and chief medical officer are in touch with embassy representatives who in turn are putting them in contact with local health officials. Embassy has received word that two and perhaps three press charters are enroute Georgetown. Would appreciate any information department may be able to give us as to names and affiliations of passengers.
Burke [John Burke, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana]
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE