As the search for four fishermen who were expected back from sea on Thursday entered its second day the men’s relatives began fearing the worst after coming up empty-handed.
Those missing are the boat’s captain Michael Ramlochan, 38; Basdeo Ramphal, a.k.a ‘Buddy,’ 25; his cousin Ramlall Ramphal, 20; and Peter Torres, who is only 14. Their relatives told Stabroek News last evening that an ice box, which was positively identified by Ramlochan’s wife, was yesterday found by a fisherman at Charity. A quantity of fish was found in the box which was later taken to the Charity Police Station.
The three men live within walking distance of each other’s home in the village of Unity, Mahaica, while Torres, lives in the nearby village of Lancaster.
Speaking to Stabroek News at Unity yesterday, relatives of the crew said that they would normally go out to sea for a two-day period. Harry Ramphal, an uncle of Basdeo and Ramlall, explained that his nephews would normally go out to sea on Tuesday’s and return by Thursday afternoon, the latest. He said the men were expected to sell their catch on Friday morning but relatives thought nothing of it since they were of the opinion that the boat, Sir Kegan, may have encountered engine problems or that the crew may have decided to spend additional time at sea. He said relatives of the men became worried when another fisherman on Sunday related that he found piece of a flag and part of a fishing seine on Friday morning out at sea. He said Ramlochan’s wife, Nalinie positively identified the flag and a search party was immediately mobilised after reporting the men missing to the police. The man said he and other members of the search party reached some distance out at sea in three boats on Sunday up until 6 pm but their efforts were in vain. He said the police also took the fisherman who alerted relatives of the piece of flag into custody but he was subsequently released.
A friend of the crew, Shivnarine Doobay, told this newspaper at Mahaica yesterday that he transported a six-man search party by bus to Parika early yesterday morning and the group, including relatives, intended to continue their search at sea. He said while working out the cost for hiring a boat at Parika, the search party was informed of a boat bearing the description of the missing boat being seen drifting close to Moruca in the North West District. This turned out to be false when the search party arrived at Moruca.
Ramlochan’s relatives told this newspaper that he has been working at sea for a number of years. His sister-in-law, Surujdai Persaud, said her sister, Ramlochan’s wife Nalini, left early yesterday morning to launch another search from the Meadow Bank wharf. His nine-year-old daughter Chelisa expressed hope that her father would soon be found alive.
Torres, who is a student of the Lancaster Secondary School, left his home without the knowledge of his parents. At the lad’s home yesterday, his younger brother Andrew related that his sibling left early on Tuesday morning before other members of his household woke up. Andrew took this newspaper to a small room at the bottom-flat of the house where his older brother usually sleeps. He said his brother would normally go out to sea during holidays and weekends. The two boys have been living with their father and stepmother since their mother died a few years ago.
While this newspaper visited Unity yesterday, a team of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, including Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, met relatives of the men. The officials then left the village with a few residents for the Meadowbank wharf.
The men’s relatives, aided by the GDF Coastguard, will continue scouring the seas today in search of the missing fishermen.
