The missing fishermen of the vessel ‘Captain Sunil’ were found alive and well yesterday in the North West District area and arrangements were being last evening to reunite them with their families.
Officials from the Guyana Defence Force Coast guard confirmed last evening that the men, brothers Jairam Surujpaul and Jirgodhan Surujpaul, both of Bladen Hall, East Coast Demerara and their cousin, Lochan Teserdeen, of Madewini, East Bank Demerara were safe. Reports are that the crew along with the vessel was located in the Kamwatta area in the Moruca Sub-Region yesterday.
The men left a location on the East Coast of Demerara on July 31 aboard the fishing vessel and their families had not heard from them since that time.
Owner of the vessel, Winston Goriah told Stabroek News last evening that another fisherman told him on Thursday evening that the crew along with the vessel was in the North West area, close to the Waini Coast. Goriah said that the fisherman related that the vessel encountered an engine problem and the men strayed off course. The relieved man said that he immediately informed the Coast Guard and an operation to locate his vessel and crew was set in motion.
The search operation, which was led by Lieutenant Cush, saw the army outfit scouring several miles along the Waini Coast until the men were discovered in the boat. Cush could not comment on the operation when contacted last evening, only noting that the operation was “ongoing.” He referred all queries to the Commander of the unit however, efforts by this newspaper to obtain a comment from his office were futile.
Reports are that the crew ran out of food while on the trip but received supplies from other fishermen passing by within the past few days. The Surujpauls’ nephew, Ramotar Surujpaul, told Stabroek News last evening that officials from the Coast Guard called him around 8 pm and informed that his uncles and their colleague were okay.
He said one of the men was at a wharf at Kumaka, a port in the Mabaruma Sub-Region, while the two others were resting at the army base at Mabaruma. He said he spoke to Jirgodhan briefly and according to him his uncle only said that they were okay and that arrangements were being made to have them travel to the city today.
The men’s relatives were in joyful mood last evening. They had gathered each night since the men were reported missing and prayed, hoping for their safe return.
A source at Mabaruma told this newspaper last evening that law enforcement officers in the area had questioned several persons in relation to the missing fishing crew and he noted that two vessels were taken into custody by the police in the area earlier this week.
He said the crews on-board those vessels were organizing their sale, arousing suspicion and the men were held and questioned. But they were later released.
Goriah related earlier this week that authorities had contacted him regarding two vessels which were found at Morawhanna, but he noted that based on the description provided by the officials neither of them belonged to him.
Several searches were conducted along the coastline between Georgetown and Mahaica, the general area in which the men were expected to have been operating, over the past several days to no avail.
The ‘Captain Sunil’ is registered as a licensed fishing vessel with the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Goriah was in contact with the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) regarding the vessel, which he said was only put on sea a few weeks ago. He praised the authorities last evening for locating the men and his vessel.
He told Stabroek News earlier this week that photographs of the vessel were given to other fishermen to determine the men’s location.
The men had left on the evening of July 31 and were expected to return on August 3. 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.
