Relatives of three Guyanese sailors who have been missing since last Wednesday after leaving Trinidad remain optimistic that the men will turn up alive as efforts to locate them and the cargo vessel, the MV Oliver L intensify.
Missing are captain of the vessel, Wexton Andrews called ‘Mampy’, 33, of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Ramdat Roopnarine, 38, of Lot 483 Zeelugt, WCD and Clad Burnette also of the West Demerara area.
Among the efforts made to locate the men, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority yesterday made a call for all marine vessels and low flying aircraft to be on the lookout for the marine cargo vessel.
The vessel left Trinidad and Tobago last Wednesday and should have arrived in Guyana around Christmas. Roopnarine’s wife Kamaldai Sukhoo told this newspaper yesterday that family had not received any new information yesterday on the fate of her husband and his two colleagues. The sobbing woman said the owner of the vessel has not been very helpful in providing information to the family on efforts being made to locate the missing men.
The woman noted that their three children would ask for their father every day since last week end when he was expected to arrive in the country. She said she remains hopeful that her husband will return home soon.
Another relative of the man told this newspaper yesterday that attempts were made to contact Roopnarine via three telephone numbers which the man have used while in Trinidad. She said two of the three numbers, which are registered in that country, have been turned off. “But it got one which keep ringing out and we trying it all the time,” she said.
Relatives of Burnette and Andrews have been visiting the home of Balkhison Ramdass, the managing partner of the company which owns the boat, for information on the situation. Ramdass told this newspaper yesterday that search efforts to locate the men and the vessel are ongoing and he noted that on Sunday a meeting was held between himself and top officials of the relevant government agencies on the situation.
The Government Information Agency said Works Minister Robeson Benn met officials of the relevant agencies and Ramdass. GINA said the Venezuelan coast guard has combed the mouth of the Orinoco River and its counterparts in Trinidad and Tobago have searched east and south of the twin-Island republic. GINA said that at the request of Benn, the Ministry of Home Affairs will ask that the authorities in the two jurisdictions renew their search efforts. Ramdass said the meeting addressed the status of the search and rescue efforts being undertaken. He said the team examined the situation and based on recommendations given to the minister, it was agreed that the Delta Amacuro area located north-east of Guyana near the Venezuelan border would have been revisited. Ramdass said he has been in touch with the Venezuelan and Trinidadian Coastguard for any update on the men’s whereabouts.
Ramdass said search efforts continued yesterday adding that the teams travelled into the Atlantic Seas and along the Venezuela border to no avail.
He said that the 56-foot long Oliver L is equipped with communications equipment and while it has experienced mechanical problems in the past, the vessel was outfitted with a new engine recently.
Ramdass said that contrary to what has been reported by Roopnarine’s relatives, he has been in touch with the families of the men and while the relatives have “their speculations,” his company is making valiant efforts to locate the men and the vessel. A relative of Burnette reported yesterday that recently, the man collected a number of photographs from the mother of one of his children. While the move was “queer”, relatives said, they thought nothing of the man’s actions.
Ramdass said that in the past the crew of the vessel had been “tardy” in reporting their position at sea and as such when the estimated time of their arrival passed, he did not think anything of the situation. However, as time passed on the recent voyage, he became worried, noting that the men’s safety as well as the welfare of their families is of great concern to the company.
On Saturday, the agent of the vessel Keon Price, reported that the men left Guyana for Trinidad on December 11 and after spending 10 days in the Twin Island republic, it was thought to have departed on December 21 or 22 for the return voyage. Price said he last made contact with Andrews on December 22 who told him that the vessel would arrive on Saturday last.
