Pirates launched a vicious attack on 15 fishing boats off the coast of the Pomeroon, beating fishermen with cutlasses and destroying boats before escaping with millions in engines, seines, gasoline, fish and fish glue.
Stabroek News was told that in one case more than 19 fishermen were locked in the small cabin of a boat for several hours. The pirates then took them to deck and after brutalizing them some more, packed their booty into another vessel and sailed away.
After the pirates left, a passing passenger boat coming from Moruca spotted the vessel and transported two wounded fishermen to Charity where they sought medical attention. Several others were also treated for lacerations to their bodies.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a press release last evening that in the light of the incident, Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn reported that the Maritime Search and Rescue Centre was activated and with the help of the police and army, the centre was able to rescue three persons.
Pirates, according to the release, targeted approximately 15 fishing boats in a spate of attacks which started around 08:00 hours on Friday and ended around the same time yesterday.
Benn made the announcement at a media briefing but Stabroek News had received no notification of this.
Speaking at the Maritime Administration Department’s Stabroek office, Benn, according to the release said: “the Maritime Administration and Coastguard received reports this morning of acts of piracy off the coast of the Pomeroon River going up to an area called Kamwatta Beach. The reports indicated that up to 15 boats with fisherfolk were intercepted by persons who beat them, tied them up and imprisoned them in their boats.”
Benn said that it was further reported that the pirates stole the boat engines and other materials which are yet to be determined adding that the centre was activated with Harbour Master Skeete, Pilot Tennant and Coastguard commander Porter after the situation was evaluated.
A helicopter mission, according to the press release, was flown to the area and sunken boats were evident as well as sailors drifting east of the mouth of the Pomeroon River.
According to Benn, police launched a search yesterday morning and up to the time of the media briefing were preparing for another mission with additional resources to attempt to rescue those still adrift.
Bharrat Kalicharran, the captain of the Ms Davina, one of the vessels in the attack and two others were rescued after they were spotted by the helicopter mission.
Kalicharran told GINA that he was attacked by six masked men, two of whom boarded his boat armed with cutlasses while the others remained on their vessel. He explained to GINA that while the vessel was about 15 knots away, just off the shore of Cozier Village, they were ordered to lie face down in the boat, tied up and beaten with cutlasses before “they bruk up we boat”.
He recounted that he suffered a similar fate just over a year ago.
Benn, according to the GINA release, stated that while all the details of the attacks are unavailable, the police are not only treating the matter as a search and rescue effort but also directing their response to what they consider a criminal act.
He noted that the centre will continue to receive reports and provide coordinates for rescue attempts and will continue to lead in the effort to recover those who were affected.
The centre will also help the police to identify the perpetrators.
‘Pack like sardine’
A traumatized Paul Lawrie of Better Success told this newspaper that he along with the captain and two others were on their fishing vessel, Little in the Pomeroon River near Sommerset village when they saw another boat approaching.
The man said that the boat slammed into their vessel and they saw six men dressed in dark clothing brandishing guns and cutlasses. Lawrie said that four of the men jumped onto his boat and instructed them to jump into the other boat. There, the man related he was beaten mercilessly. He said he was beaten in his head, back, shoulder and mouth with a cutlass.
He said he and his fellow crew members were then forced into the cabin of that vessel where there were also other fishermen who had been kidnapped by the men. According to Lawrie, the cabin can only accommodate about five people.
The pirates he said nailed up the door of the cabin and as they attacked other fishing vessels more and more fishermen were forced inside. “Eventually the cabin get so full, we hardly coulda breathe. It din pack like sardine,” the man related. He said it got so bad that one man fainted.
“After a long while they open de door and call we out and beat we more. They tell we that we must lay down on we face and nah watch dem,” he said adding that they had no choice but to obey the men since they were armed.
He said he got the bulk of the lashes from the men who stated that he was too stubborn.
Lawrie, who has been working at sea for over three years, said the pirates who fled in a bigger boat left them drifting. The vessel ended up at the mouth of the Pomeroon River and eventually they got assistance from a passing vessel. The pirates left a bucket of bread behind for them, he said.
The man said that in his years at sea this is the first attack he has suffered. He said that in the light of the ordeal he is unsure of his next move. “I am afraid [to go back] because they almost beat me to death. I never went to jail yah know but meh think this punishment din worse than jail. They were cruelmen,” he said.
The man pleaded for a police station to be built at the mouth of the Pomeroon River opining that if this is done police would be able to respond to reports faster.
Meanwhile, the captain of Little, Ghandharna Dashu, called `Key Key’ told this newspaper that this is the second attack he has suffered. Dashu who is also the owner of the vessel recounted a similar ordeal. The man said that when the boat transporting the pirates slammed into his, the vessel was so badly damaged that it eventually sank.
He said the men destroyed his engine before throwing it overboard but took the other valuables including his catch.
The man recalled that while they were in the cabin one of the bandits took a bowl of water for them. “We had a cup so everybody had to tek lil bit, lil bit”. According to him more fishermen were being held captive on the deck of the vessel.
He estimated his losses to be about $1.7 million saying that he now has to get a new boat. Asked if he is going to be returning to sea, the man said that he had no choice since “dat is meh only income and meh got three pickney fuh mine”.
The Better Success resident said he was still feeling the effects of the beating he endured. He was treated at the hospital and later sent home.
Chief Fisheries Officer, Denzil Roberts, told this newspaper that he received a report that boats had been attacked some time between Friday and yesterday morning. He was unable to say how many vessels but knew there were a lot.
The Coastguard and the police, he said, were informed of the situation and teams were dispatched to search for the men. He said the exact number of boats targeted was unclear because reports were still being received.
He confirmed that about 19 men had been locked in the cabin of a boat by the pirates.
Comprehensive response
Contacted, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, in response to questions regarding the safety of fisherfolk, told Stabroek News that there has to be a comprehensive response led by the security forces. He said his ministry has no jurisdiction on security matters but was trying to establish certain things, for example the licensing of all fishing vessels.
He noted that his ministry can only play an advisory role. The minister explained that the licence was important because “we need to know who is going out there”. It was also recommended in the past that tracking devices be placed on all vessels, he said.
He said that most boats are not registered.
