–relatives concerned over varied stories from crew

Relatives of Ramkumar Seeram, the fisherman who went missing at sea, are convinced that something is amiss, after his fellow crew members gave varying accounts of what transpired.

Seeram, 43, who lived alone at Lot 53 Second Street, De Willem South, West Coast Demerara , was reported missing by the crew  of the Divinity 111  when the other members of the seven-man crew returned to shore on Thursday morning. He was still not located up to press time last evening.

His brother, Mukesh Seeram, an employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) told Stabroek News yesterday that various accounts provided by the remaining members of the crew leave many unanswered questions, while exposing loopholes in the system surrounding the operation of trawlers .

He said the family was informed of the incident via media reports and that the owner of the vessel, Lydon Connelly of the Essequibo Coast, has “remained silent”, while numerous attempts had to be made to contact him.

Mukesh said he managed to speak to the man early yesterday morning by phone after making several attempts and according to him, Connolly was not “forthcoming” or “even offered  any comforting words” to the family. He said Connelly told him he was “at the gym” and that he should contact the vessel’s captain Lakeram Mahadeo.

The man said he and his brother-in-law were present at the police headquarters when the crew members were interrogated yesterday and according to him the men all provided varying accounts of what transpired during the trip.

Mukesh said the captain of the vessel told the officers the crew realized that Ramkumar was missing around 8 pm on Wednesday after dinner. But Mukesh said the captain had told the family earlier that Ramkumar was discovered missing around 9:30 pm that day. He said that the captain then “change he story” stating that the man was discovered missing around midnight and the crew launched a two-hour search for the man before proceeding inland.

A crew member had told this newspaper on Thursday afternoon that the crew got up around 3 am on Thursday and realized that Ramkumar was missing.

The missing man’s brother stated that a neighbour , another crew member of the vessel, called out to his brother last Friday morning to go on the trip after “a man get sick”. He said the neighbour is well known to the family, as they all lived there “in the early days” and according to him, he was baffled when the neighbour told the police that Ramkumar had no relatives and that no one knew where he resided. Dem mek he look like he nah gat owner,” Mukesh stated.

He said no one appears to know where the vessel was when Ramkumar went missing, since according to him, the captain told the investigators that the vessel was some 35 miles out from the Demerara River while adjacently, 65 miles from the coast of Anna Regina . The crew member who spoke to this newspaper on Thursday stated that the vessel was in the Atlantic, in the vicinity of the Pomeroon/Waini Coast, in the North West District.

Mukesh said he and investigators were confused at this point, since, “the captain like he didn’t know whey he been”. He said the man was asked to produce his licence as captain of the vessel, and as he failed to do so; he told the investigators that his licence had expired last year, but he had “enough experience to be a boat captain”.

Mukesh also said that another crew member told the investigators that the entire crew, including Ramkumar ,went to sleep in the cabin of the Divinity 111 on Wednesday evening, further contradicting the accounts provided by the men earlier.

He said another crew member stated that he was asleep near to the captain at another part of the vessel on Wednesday evening. Mukesh said the men also provided the investigators with an assumption that Ramkumar may have gotten up during the night to relieve himself at the back of the vessel when he met his demise, adding that no one usually accompanies another crew member during such an event as the other crew members are usually tired.

He said the men had earlier given the family the same excuse. However, he related that another crew member would be “tipped” to accompany the other. This newspaper was also provided with the latter account by another crew member on Thursday.

Mukesh and his brother –in-law stated that they were even further convinced that “something fishy” may have played a part in the incident after the crew were told by the police investigation team that they would all be held accountable if Ramkumar’s body was found with marks of violence. He said at this point, during the interrogation, the captain and another crew member related that the missing man had a cut to his forehead, one to his left shoulder as well as at the back of his left instep when the crew departed last Friday. Mukesh noted that a tenant, who lives in the same compound with Ramkumar at De Willem, when contacted yesterday, stated that she only recalled the missing man having a scratch to the forehead which he sustained after a fall.

He said the crew told the investigators that they left the area where Ramkumar went missing around 2 am on Thursday and arrived at the Houston wharf some 8 hours after when the missing report was filed. When questioned as to why the crew could not establish contact with the Coast Guard or the Lighthouse, he said the captain related that the vessel’s radios were  unserviceable. He said the investigators were also puzzled as to the journey time taken by the vessel to inland on Thursday and according to him, the captain related that the vessel’s engine was not functioning properly . He said the man was also asked if they had flares on board but responded stating that “they would light paper” if the need arose.

Mukesh noted that the crew had earlier told the family that two other vessels were informed of the situation on Thursday morning but when his brother-in-law asked for the names or contact information to verify same, the men stated that they could not recall which two vessels went to their assistance.

Mukesh and another sibling Seeta Seeram, stated that the family would not rest until their brother’s body is found and his cause of death is identified. They said that their parents passed away when they were children growing up, and their missing brother, a bachelor, always wanted to be by himself as he was “a very private person”. The two siblings stated that their younger brother would always stand up for his rights and was usually “loud” whenever he observed  dishonesty.

“’He is a man, he don’t stand up for wrong things,” the man’s sister reiterated yesterday. She said that Ramkumar would normally confide in her  “thing what does go on pon sea”, and that he told her  on a  few occasions that fishermen usually  carry alcohol to sea, a practice which she noted is not tolerated  by the law.

While Ramkumar worked on other vessels, it was his first trip on the Divinity 111 . According to his relatives, the man was an experienced seaman. Stabroek News made several attempts yesterday to contact the owner of the vessel for on an update on the search and rescue efforts undertaken but his mobile phone was turned off.