Search efforts to locate a three–man fishing crew, which has not been seen since last week, yielded no results yesterday.
Brothers Jairam Surujpaul, 42 and Jirgodhan Surujpaul, both of Bladen Hall, East Coast Demerara and their cousin, Lochan Teserdeen of Madewini, East Bank Demerara left on July 31 on the fishing vessel, ‘Captain Sunil.’ Since then their families have not heard from them and searches in the past few days failed to find any sign.
Owner of the vessel Winston Goriah told Stabroek News that several searches were conducted along the coastline between George-town and Mahaica yesterday but to no avail. He said that search efforts were undertaken in the general area in which the men were expected to have been operating.
The boat is registered as a licensed fishing vessel with the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and persons there noted yesterday that the Coast Guard has been undertaking search and rescue efforts to determine the men’s location. Goriah was also contacted by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) yesterday to ensure that his “documents in order.” The man said that photographs of the vessel have been given to other fishermen to see what form of assistance they could provide in locating the men and the boat. When contacted yesterday, the men’s relatives expressed hope that they would be found alive, with the Surujpauls’ sister-in-law noting that the men are capable seamen.
The men had left on the evening of July 31 and were expected to return on August 3. According to Goriah, when they did not return he went out with another boat to look for them. He said that the missing crew did not have a radio but had a cellular phone since the vessel was equipped with “fine seines” and usually fished close to the shore.
On Thursday, the matter was reported to the Vigilance Police Station and on Saturday an aerial exercise was undertaken from “Berbice to Waini” to spot the vessel.
This case is reminiscent of another incident, which occurred in January 2008, when the ‘Palpos III’ and its three-man crew left to go fishing and were expected to return 21 days later. Still missing are captain of the `Palpos III’, Mahadeo Ramdeo, 24, of 190 Coldingen Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Ramnarine Jagmohan, 46, of 356 Craig Public Road, East Bank Demerara and Jason Marshall, 24, of Albouystown.
The vessel belonged to Pritipaul Singh Investments.
